The White of the Sky
by Syrence
Summary: Hazel is no hero. She's just a timid, bashful young hedgehog desperately struggling to survive in a world of tyranny and abuses, crushed under Eggman's iron rule. When the chance to change her life finally presents itself, will she be brave enough to seize it and join the Resistance? [Very loosely based on Sonic Forces. Possible Infinite x OC.]
1. Cinders on the Ground

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **1**

 **Cinders on the Ground**

Thick pillars of smoke obscured the sky above Tourmaline Town, painting the world below in shades of black and grey. The once idyllic little village was barely recognizable: most of the huts and barns were reduced to smouldering heaps of ashes and charred wood, the rows of apple trees warped into burning husks, the beautiful stone-paved roads now smeared in blood and cinders. The crackling of flames mixed with screams and metallic clanks, as Eggman's war machines marched among the smoke, determined to search and crush even the last survivors.

Crouched behind the half-blackened remains of a plough, a young hedgehog watched in terror. She didn't look older than thirteen, and her dress and light brown spines were soiled in ash and dirt. Wide open orange eyes darted through the inferno, desperately looking for a way out, but wherever they wandered they only met fire, ruins, and robotic silhouettes. She cringed.

 _Don't panic… don't panic! You can do this, Hazel…_

But her legs were shaking violently, threatening to buckle any minute, and the smoke was making her lungs burn and her head spin. She didn't know how much longer she could resist. A coughing fit shook her form, and she pressed her gloved hand against her mouth to stifle the noise, praying that nobody heard her.

Too late.

A shadow appeared beside the plough, looming over Hazel.

 _Eggman's soldiers!_

The girl instinctively cowered, yelping as an hand seized her arm and pulled her up, but the voice whispering in her ear was smooth and gentle: "On your feet, kid."

Hazel gazed up, her eyes watering. A black cat around her twenties gave her a reassuring smile. She wore white robes, adorned with a dark leaf trim around the sleeves and hood, and carried an unmistakable gnarled staff behind her back. Hazel knew her by sight: Opal, one of the Sentries of the Obsidian Tree and protectors of Tourmaline Town.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Opal held her hand out, and Hazel reached for it.

Together, the cat and the hedgehog sprinted through the smouldering ruins of the town. Hazel's steps were unsteady, but Opal's firm grip around her fingers instilled in her a fragile sense of hope. As they ran past a burning barn, Hazel almost tripped on something… the charred corpse of a canine. Her stomach twisted sharply as she recognized her neighbour, the kindly middle-aged dog with a love for raspberry tea.

"Opal…!"

"Don't look!" the Sentry hissed. "Just run!"

Choking back a sob, Hazel complied. The tears stinging her eyes were causing her vision to blur.

The two girls had almost managed to reach the fences that marked the town's boundary, when a shrill robotic voice cried out: " _Fugitives! Fugitives!"_

Two harpy-like robots descended from above, accompanied by a whir of jet engines. Their gleaming red claws and razor-sharp pecks reflected the light of the flames.

Hazel whimpered. Before she could even _think_ about what to do, Opal acted: without hesitation, she let go of the hedgehog and charged forward, drawing her staff as she jumped towards the robots. The gnarled weapon swirled in her hands, tracing a crescent mid-air; and the first harpy was savagely knocked down in a single, swift strike.

"B-behind you!" Hazel cried out.

The Sentry didn't need that warning. Nimbly spinning on herself, she ducked under the talon attack of the second harpy and retaliated by hitting the winged robot straight into its head, effectively beheading it.

Still twitching, the two harpies plummeted down in a heap of metal and fizzing wires. Their clatter was followed by the light thump of Opal's shoes meeting the grass a moment afterwards. Equally scared and awed, Hazel looked up at the Sentry.

"Quick, now." Opal straightened her back with a flick of her white cape. "Before more uninvited guests join the party."

She and Hazel resumed their run, but were forced to hide again soon: evidently drawn by the turmoil, a troop of Egg Pawns were rushing towards the fences, clanking heavily at each step. Cat and hedgehog hunkered down behind a pile of debris, remaining perfectly still and silent until the robots strode off.

"W-what's going on?" Hazel's voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "We haven't done anything wrong. Why is the Empire attacking us?"

"No idea." The Sentry peered beyond the corner, and then back at Hazel. "You are the swordsman's daughter, right? Where's your father?"

A stab of pure anguish pierced the girl's heart. "I… I don't know. Eggman's s-soldiers got to him… he told me to run..."

Opal bit down on her lower lip, silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her hushed voice had a soothing tone to it: "I'm sure he'll be okay. He's a fine fighter, someone like him eats this robotic trash for breakfast." She ruffled Hazel's spines. "Now listen up, kid. This is where we part ways. Something's off - the Sentries on watch at the Obsidian Tree should have summoned the Town barrier and rejected Eggman's robots ages ago."

"What's wrong with the b-barrier?" Hazel stuttered out.

"Beats me. All I know is that it activated, as according to plan, and then five minutes later it just went down. I'll make a run to the Tree and see if I can restore it. In the meanwhile, I want you to get away from here, okay? You only need to reach the river and..."

"N-no!" The thought of finding herself once again alone in that hell terrified Hazel more than anything else. "Please, let me c-come with you."

"It's too dangerous." The Sentry shook her head. "We don't have much time. You'll be safer if you..."

In that very moment, a powerful roar shook the earth and air alike. Hazel and Opal turned their heads at the same time, and the cat cursed through her teeth.

The largest machine Hazel had ever seen was approaching Tourmaline Town. It resembled a tank, but each of the road wheels were thrice her height, and a vicious-looking drill was mounted onto the turret ring, shimmering in the light of the pyre. Two rows of Egg Knights marched by its sides, spears at the ready, greaves hammering on the ground.

"… if you come with me!" Opal hastily concluded.

#

The Obsidian Tree sat over a nearby hill, standing tall above the village. It was about the size of a small palace, and quite the sight to behold: crimson and golden reflections skimmed the lustrous black bark, all the way up to the natural cupola weaved by its branches; the boughs themselves were crowned by strangely luminescent leaves, gleaming like a concatenation of jewels in the light of the distant fires. At the base of the plant, large roots twisted and twirled into elaborate curlicues, shaping the frame of a wooden sanctuary among them.

In spite of the horror and fear still knotting her stomach, Hazel couldn't help but feel the littlest spark of relief. According to the local legends, the beautiful living spire hosted fays and warded off demons, and those fairytales contained a kernel of truth: tasked with safeguarding both the Tree and the Town, the wardens forming the order of the Sentries were capable of tapping into the power of the plant to heal and defend, as well as to summon a protective dome vast enough to cover the whole area. The summoning ritual per se, along with most of the knowledge surrounding the Obsidian Tree, was a jealously guarded secret; but Opal was here, and if there was someone who could bring the great barrier back, that was a Sentry.

"It's too late to stop the invasion, but hopefully I can still prevent that drill monster from getting to Tourmaline." Opal closed her eyes for a moment, then she nodded, as if answering a voice only she could hear. "Yes... not all is lost. It's odd, though. There's no way Eggman's robots could have breached the barrier on their own. Something must have caused it to deactivate from the inside, so keep your eyes peeled. And if I say run, you do exactly that, alright?"

"O-okay."

They ran closer to the Obsidian Tree, but abruptly paused in their tracks. Hazel pressed a hand against her mouth. Half a dozen of bodies were scattered among the roots: gnarled staves lying in the dust, limbs bent in unnatural angles, white robes burnt or stained in blood, there was no doubt the Sentries had tried to put up a fight.

Opal gasped loudly. "No..."

"Well, well." A dark voice spoke, its tone laced with cruel amusement. "Even more bothersome insects come scuttling to their demise."

A grey figure materialized himself, floating in midair between the two girls and the Obsidian Tree. A jackal, haloed in ominous crimson light. His features were almost completely concealed from sight by a metal mask; a jagged, tear-like opening revealed his one remaining eye, glowing yellow and surrounded by a red sclera.

His gaze met Hazel's and sharply bored into it. The hedgehog flinched and looked away, frightened.

That reaction amused the jackal. "Moreover, one of the insects is a quivering child. Can this possibly get any more pathetic?"

"You bastard..." Opal took a step forward and tightly clutched her staff. "Mark my words, you'll pay for what you've done to my sisters!"

"Fret not, Sentry. You shall see them again soon enough."

He extended his hand towards Hazel and Opal. A vicious red beam darted towards them...

… only to be deflected by a shield of spectral dark energy, promptly summoned by Opal. The Sentry held her staff horizontally before herself, her white cloak swaying around her form.

"Go, kid" she said quietly.

Staggering backwards, Hazel turned and began running, but fell back on her buttocks with a squeal when another crimson beam incinerated the patch of grass right before her.

"Scream again, child." The jackal chuckled. "I quite like that sound."

"You scumbag!" Opal dismissed the magical protection with a flick of her hand and rushed forth. "Leave her alone, your opponent is me!"

As graceful as only a trained Sentry of the Obsidian Tree could be, she leapt towards the jackal and rotated her staff, but her strike met only air: moving at supernatural speed, he had dashed behind and above her. A violent kick sent Opal crashing painfully against the ground.

"You're feeble, just like the rest of that so-called sorority of yours." Gliding down, the jackal gestured towards the broken bodies of the other Sentries. "You should be honoured your death comes by _my_ hand."

Opal gritted her teeth and sprang back on her feet. "This isn't over yet!"

She lunged at him again, and again he dodged. Opal didn't give up. Halfway between ninja and dancer, she whirled and twirled her weapon with skill and accuracy, the gnarled staff drawing a mandala of strikes all around herself. In spite of her best endeavours, however, her enemy's reflexes were impossibly quick: he seemed to know Opal's moves before the Sentry could even perform them, and none of those hits, no matter how masterful, ever reached its target.

Hazel couldn't do anything but helplessly watch. Dismayed, she realized the jackal wasn't even taking the fight seriously: he simply dodged and parried, dodged and parried, without bothering to counterattack. He was _toying_ with Opal.

Her hands were shaking, so Hazel clenched them. At this rate, Opal would have lost... There had to be something she could do to help the Sentry. She instinctively turned to the Obsidian Tree: the mystical plant gleamed in its full glory, gently, beautifully.

That shimmer enticed her. There was something comforting yet tantalizing about it, and Hazel found herself staring at the Tree with a dazzled look, enraptured by that glint. For a moment, just a moment, she believed she could hear a melodic voice softly whispering in her mind, the words still unintelligible - but she had almost managed to grasp them…

Hazel took a step forward.

Then her gaze fell on the bodies of the Sentries.

Mangled.

Bloodstained.

 _Dead_.

A chill rolled down her spine, freezing up her veins. What little hope and confidence she had managed to muster suddenly shattered; her eyes filled with tears, her knees hit the ground. What good could she possibly be? Each and every of those Sentries had been a skilled warrior, a thousandfold stronger than she could ever _dream_ to be. And still they had been dispatched that easily, as if they were nothing more than… what did the jackal say?

 _Insects._

Hazel whimpered, tears burning through her eyelashes and scorching her cheekbones. She hadn't inherited her father's penchant for battle, as he never missed a chance to disappointedly point out. She wasn't a hero. She wasn't even a fighter. She was just an awkward little coward. Helpless. Powerless.

 _Worthless... I'm so worthless.._.

That vague, melodic voice tried to reach out to her again, but Hazel couldn't hear a word it spoke. All she could perceive were the clangs of war machines in the distance, the crackle of the fire devouring her hometown, her own panic-stricken pulse… The anxiety. That viscous, heavy anxiety weighing on her chest. What was the point in trying _anything_? She couldn't help Opal. She couldn't even help herself.

A nearby thud announced that Opal had been downed again. Hazel gave a start, returning to her senses: white robes smeared in blood and dust, the Sentry lay motionless on her stomach.

"O-Opal…!"

Fighting back a sob, the hedgehog crawled towards her. Opal's opponent however was nowhere in si-

Hazel shrieked as a hand seized her quills and yanked her head backwards, fully exposing her throat. Now quivering uncontrollably, the hedgehog girl was forced to look up: the jackal stared down at her.

"A pleasant sound indeed" he commented, indolence in his voice.

Hazel's spines were painfully ensnared within his grasp. The jackal shifted his free hand to her throat, letting his sharp-clawed fingertips brush against her jugular. In reaction, she stiffened up and closed her eyes shut, but that gesture seemed to annoy him.

"Look at me!"

Too frightened to resist, the hedgehog cracked her eyes open again. His predatory yellow gaze promised pain. _Endless pain_. The purest terror she'd ever known froze her body and numbed her mind, and she had to bite her lower lip not to whimper again. She was about to die. He would have killed her like he had killed all those Sentries.

"I can sense your dread" he observed flatly. "Your eyes glisten with fear... Isn't it delightful? Do you finally understand what feeling _alive_ means? Most realize it way too late, usually just two or three seconds before the light leaves their gaze forever."

Hazel was petrified, unable to do anything but tremble and stare. The jackal's fingers lingered on her throat.

"But unfortunately for me and luckily for you, I find no satisfaction in massacring flimsy children."

He abruptly let go of her and vanished from her field of view. Hazel gasped, laboring for air. It took her a few moments to realize the jackal was floating in midair again, right before the Obsidian Tree.

"I am Infinite. Remember my name, child. Spread your story, and taint those who'll listen with equal dismay. Now leave."

Another roar shook the ground. The drill machine was approaching, slowly but surely.

Trembling, Hazel stood up and cast one last look at Opal: the cat's mangled body didn't move. Her heart sunk painfully. The last Sentry of her hometown had fallen right before her eyes, and all she could do was cowering like the lowest of wimps.

She clenched her head, tears trickling down her chin.

 _Worthless._

 _Worthless._

 _WORTHLESS._

And suddenly she was running like hell, too frightened to think, too frightened to focus on anything that wasn't putting one foot in front of the other. She barely heard the whirr of the drill piercing into the Obsidian Tree. Her ears were ringing with Infinite's cold, mocking laughter.

Hazel knew that sound would have haunted her dreams for years to come.

* * *

A.N.

Hello everyone ^^ what can I say, Sonic Forces made me go full Nostalgic Mode. The game was actually pretty enjoyable if you ask me, even if those stages were waaaay too short.

I apologize in advance for any eventual grammar mistake, as English isn't my motherlanguage. But since I'm planning to move to England soon, I thought I could try to write a fanfiction, both for fun and for practice! So please bear with me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog (else Silvaze would totally be canon).

Tourmaline Town and the Obsidian Tree, along with its Sentries and my super wimpy OC, are products of my twisted imagination, and their background will be expanded in future chapters.

I hope you enjoyed the read!

Syrence, out~!


	2. A Realm of Fuel and Steel

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **2**

 **A Realm of Fuel and Steel**

 _Three years later..._

The smell of burnt oil and airship fuel saturated the depot, acrid enough to make Hazel's nostrils burn. Instead of bubbling and gurgling, as always when transporting the raw fuel to the processing apparatus, the tangle of tubes and pipes winding around the main tank lay unusually silent; the combustible materials must have been transferred to one of the imperial outposts already, or so Hazel reckoned.

A lonely lamp glowed above the hedgehog's head, spreading its dim light on the titanium-floored room and wrapping the tank before her in an almost spectral shimmer. At her every motion, one hundred reflections would flare through the facets of the crystalline screens embedded within the metal contraption.

Hazel had no idea what time it was, or for how long she'd been cleaning and polishing that stupid machine. She was only aware of the soreness slowly pervading her arms, the headache building up in her cranium, and the twinges of red hot pain stabbing her back whenever she tried to have the smallest stretch.

The burns on her back were a courtesy from the plasma whips of the E-Guards. Eggman's surveillance machines regularly patrolled the hallways of the Redgate Refinery, keeping a close eye on the workers and ensuring nobody faltered under their watch. You learnt to fear them fast: the E-Guards were always watching, always looking for the slightest slackening in someone's performance or the first sign of misconduct, which apparently was a _very_ flexible term in their servos' dictionary. Those mechanical overseers also had a penchant for corporal punishments, as they were all too eager to prove to the non-robotic operators who committed crimes such as voicing their opinions, not addressing the E-Guards with the correct etiquette, or simply succumbing to exhaustion from their heavy work schedule.

Speaking of E-Guards...

A familiar whirring noise burred through the corridor on her left. Hazel immediately straightened her shoulders, squeezed the cleaning spray tighter and began scouring the surface of the tank with renewed vigor, doing her best to look as lively and enthusiastic as possible. In her hand, the rag squeaked frantically against the filthy metal, echoing her quickened heartbeat. The shadows circling her eyes would have gone unnoticed in the half-darkness, or so she hoped.

Not much later, two E-Guards came into view. Stocky in build, the vaguely humanoid-looking machines had a silvery ovoid body, supported by black limbs that seemed made of intertwined cables. Their right elbow presented a shotgun where a forearm should have been, and their left hand, similar to a spiky gauntlet, often rested on the handle of the plasma whip hanging by their side. Under the visors of their crested helmets, blank blue optics flickered impassively.

Between the two robots stood a fox operator. Dejection was stamped across his face as he shuffled forward with his head down, his wrists sealed into handcuffs. Hazel peered at him out of the corner of her eye: like herself and any other refinery worker, he had a localizer around his neck, humiliatingly shaped as a collar, and sported a one-piece uniform suit, plus a baggy jacket, goggles on his forehead and knee-high boots. The imperial logo, Emperor Eggman's own stylized face, grinned widely from the front of the suit and the back of the jacket, blazing red against the plain grey of the uniform.

Hazel tensed up as the trio approached, only daring to breathe again once the E-Guards and the fox moved past her and disappeared into the opposite corridor. She felt a pang of sympathy for her fellow operator: she knew all too well where they were dragging him, and she also knew there was nothing she could do about it.

With a sigh, the hedgehog returned her attention to her job. The fuel tank still looked and smelled like dung. She would have never managed to clean it all before midnight, but she had to try. At the _thought_ of another punishment - of the plasma whips biting into her already scorched back - a shudder coursed through her spine. Forcing herself to ignore the ache and tiredness, Hazel sprinkled a generous dose of spray and resumed her work.

She was trying to rub off a particularly stubborn stain of dirt from the tank, when the sudden, shrill cry of the emergency siren pierced through her eardrums.

Hazel gave a startle and jolted up to her feet.

 _What is it?! A gas leakage? A fire?_ Her heart skipped a beat. _Oh please, please, please, anything but a fire._

 _"Attention, all Empire citizens."_ A deep robotic voice resounded through the speakers on the wall. _"We're under attack by Resistance agitators. Your new directive is to assist in the obliteration of the dangerous criminal threat, at the behest of our most excellent Emperor Eggman. I repeat: we're under attack by Resistance agitators…"_

Dropping the rag, Hazel edged closer to the corridor where the E-Guards and their prisoner had vanished. The neon lights scattered across the long, narrow ceiling flickered weakly, few and far between. She peeked into the shadows, squinting her eyes: she couldn't see much, but as the siren's cry faded, she could hear the echo of frenzied footsteps, shrieks and…

 _Shots?_

Apprehension clenched her stomach.

 _A shooting! What am I supposed to do?_

Hazel's instinct screamed to run, but the corridor behind her shoulders was a dead end, and the one stretching before her eyes would have led her straight to the heart of the turmoil. Too many hallways stood between her and the exit: she would have had to cross the whole refinery praying not to get caught in the crossfire... and if the Resistance agitators truly were dangerous warmongers as the Emperor depicted them...

Hazel was still trying to make up her mind when someone suddenly leapt out from the dark and impacted her, knocking the air out of her lungs. Hazel fell hard on the concrete floor, and so did the other person.

"Ow!" a high-pitched voice cried out.

"O-oh. I'm sorry, are you hurt?" The hedgehog mentally face-palmed. What was she apologizing for? The guy had run into _her_ , not the other way around!

Said guy sat in front of her, massaging his forehead. It was a bee, or a wasp perhaps, and he looked young… _Too young_ , she thought. Eight, nine years old at most. Eggman sure wasn't above child labour, but sending a little kid to the Redgate Refinery? It was a tad too much even for his standards.

That was when Hazel realized that the bee wasn't wearing the uniform with the imperial logo, nor the localizer-collar.

"The Resistance..." Hazel gasped, surprise and worry mixing in her tone. "You're with them!"

"Ugh...!" The bee glanced behind his shoulder. "No time to explain. Baddies incoming!"

He was right: Hazel could already hear the E-Guards' whirring engines echo through the corridor. Without a second thought, she stood up and grabbed the bee's hand, pulling him to his feet as well. She eyed the tank, but there was no way anyone would have managed to hide themselves behind it, not even a little kid.

The whir grew louder by the second. The surveillance bots would have shown up any moment now.

Acting on the spur of the moment, Hazel removed her uniform jacket.

"Wear this, quick!" she whispered urgently. "And keep your head down!"

The kid complied. Once zipped up, the uniform jacket effectively covered him from nose to shoes; not a centimeter of black and yellow stripes was in sight. Hazel unstrapped her goggles, and she barely had the time to hastily slap them on his face before several blue optics appeared in the dark of the corridor. Seconds later, half a dozen of E-Guards charged into the tank room, shotguns at the ready.

Hazel stiffened up.

 _Idiot!_ she mentally cried. _As if they could fall for such a stupid trick!_

She braced herself for the hail of bullets that was surely about to rake her, but to her astonishment - and extreme relief - the mecha-overseers scurried past her and the camouflaged kid without paying them any attention. Only after the whir of their engines disappeared into nothingness did Hazel draw her breath. The tank room was chilly, but her palms were sweating profusely.

The bee lifted the goggles from his face, now staring up at her with big, round puppy eyes. Amazingly enough, he was _smiling_.

"Hey, it worked!" he chirped in his most carefree tone, as if narrowly dodging a mean, swift execution was all in a day's work. "Nice idea, miss."

Hazel attempted to speak, but only a stuttering whisper came out. She cleared her throat and tried again: "Yeah, t-they're gone, but not for long. That was a close call, little guy. You need to get out of here."

"After all the trouble to get in? I can't just leave now. Not when I'm so close!"

"So close to what, a d-dive in the tar tank? The E-Guards won't go easy on you just because you're a kid." She rubbed her temple. "What was the Resistance thinking, attacking the refinery and sending you here?"

The bee looked away, guilt evident on his face.

Hazel perked her brow, realization striking her. "They don't _know_ you're here, do they? You snuck in on your own."

"Anywaaay... The Resistance isn't targeting you." The bee hurriedly changed topic. "There's a chemical lab right under your raf... refinery. Eggman is building up some kind of super bomb in there, and we wanna stop that before things get real ugly! If the bomb goes boom, this place will blow up as well."

"What?" She blinked, taken aback. "Wait, how can you be so sure?"

"It's a very long story, but you must believe me. You're all in big trouble!"

He sounded earnestly concerned. Hazel bit down on her lower lip. If the E-Guards caught her aiding the Resistance, they would have turned her into fuming mincemeat, no doubt. But what if the bee was right?

"I... I've never heard of a chemical lab here." She glanced around, making sure nobody was in sight. "But there's this area on the lowest floor, it's called Sector Celsius. I don't know much of it, except it's underground, heavily guarded, and absolutely off limits. You cannot even approach it, without a keycard."

"Yeah! It checks out!" The bee grinned. "Sounds like a perfect spot to investigate."

"No way you're going to the Sector Celsius, kid. It's too dangerous."

"Stop calling me kid. I'm Charmy." He puffed out his chest. "And I'm way tougher than I look!"

"Right." She sighed again. "I'm Hazel. But seriously, this isn't the moment to play hero. Every single E-Guard in the refinery is out to get you, and if they find you we'll both die."

"It's alright, I've got this. I only need to find the control center of this dump - no offense meant - then I promise I'll be on my way. No more troubles! Can I keep your stuff for a little longer?"

Did she truly have a choice? A frown touched her forehead, but she nodded.

"Yay!" He rolled up the sleeves of the jacket to free his hands, then lowered Hazel's goggles on his nose."Thanks for lending me a hand, miss. I'll totally find a way to return your things to you! Oh, and don't trust what the baddies say, okay? The Resistance is here to help you, not to hurt you. We're the good guys."

Charmy offered her a playful, two fingered-salute. Then, unable to fly with the heavy jacket on, he awkwardly turned around and hobbled away… _into the wrong corridor_. Hazel stared at him, then at the way the hem of her jacket almost trailed along the ground.

 _Just let him go_ , a voice whispered into her brain. _He'll only bring trouble. If they ever found out you helped him, they'll torture you to death for sympathizing with the rebels. Don't do anything stupid._

But, Resistance or not, the kid couldn't stand a chance on his own. He didn't know where to go, he didn't even know what the E-Guards were truly capable of. They would have caught him in a matter of minutes. The burns on her back pulsated painfully against the fabric of the refinery uniform.

And suddenly something surged up within her, cleaving through all her worries and obscuring any fear of punishment.

She wouldn't have allowed a _kid_ to walk straight into suicide.

"Wait!"

Charmy paused in his tracks. "Yeah?"

"You're looking for the control center, aren't you?" She beckoned to him to follow her. "This way, and j-just do what I do."

He looked surprised, but smiled and nodded. Together, they made their way through the maze of dark corridors and malodorous rooms. Hazel promptly hunched her shoulders and lowered her eyes whenever they crossed paths with an E-Guard, without however slowing down her pace. An uneasy silence had fallen on the refinery, but the surveillance machines fiercely patrolled the whole building, still searching for intruders, as testified by their cocked shotguns. To Hazel's relief, the few operators who also scouted the corridors didn't have half of the zeal of their robotic tormentors: wielding improvised weapons such as tubes and ratchets, they aimlessly wandered around, like slaves forced to obey an order they cared nothing for.

Hazel and Charmy navigated the refinery for several minutes until, at last, the main hall opened up before them. The hedgehog quickly held out her arm, stopping the camouflaged bee before he could step into it.

"What...?" Charmy silenced himself.

Contrary to the rest of the building, the main hall was enormous and brightly illuminated: hundreds and hundreds of neon lights lined the walls, forming the outline of Eggman's grinning face onto each of them. When one's eyes adapted to that blinding glimmer, what truly grasped the attention was the array of tall, cylindric rostrums dominating the middle of the room. Above one of those platforms, displayed for all to see, was the fox operator Hazel had seen earlier. He was held up by a contraption reminiscent of a steel cross, with his arms spread out and his face and stomach pressed against the metal. His now exposed back was a mess of cauterized scars and fresh wounds, among which rivulets of blood trickled down, dripping and pooling around his feet. Judging by the way his head lolled to the side, he was either on the brink of unconsciousness or passed out already.

Even at that distance, the penetrating smell of burnt fur wafted to Hazel's nose. It made her veins boil and freeze at the same time. For a moment, her vision blurred, and she could almost see herself in lieu of the fox, tied up and displayed just like that. A sharp pang of pain ignited her back.

Charmy's eyes were wide as saucers. "Is he…?" For the first time, a hint of fright cracked his tone.

"He'll survive. The E-Guards want a warning sign, not a martyr." Hazel forced herself to tear her gaze away. "And t-that's the control center, anyway."

She pointed towards the octagonal, tower-like structure overlooking the hall from the closest corner. One of its sections appeared made of a reddish vitreous material; it looked opaque from the outside, although one could still make out the silhouettes of the two E-Guards moving behind it. A glossy metal stairway spiraled all around the structure, eventually leading to a set of heavy doors located higher than thirty feet from the ground. Four E-Guards were stationed at the bottom of the newel, shotguns at the ready.

"That's not good" Charmy mumbled.

The hedgehog eyed the four machines guarding the staircase, then glanced up at the control tower. An idea bolted through her head.

 _But..._

Hazel bit the inside of her cheek. As scary as they could be, the E-Guards were far from clever... but of course, had she failed to outsmart them... She shook her head, as if to banish those thoughts.

"Charmy... Are you absolutely _sure_ there's no other way around it?" she whispered pressingly. "Is the control center necessary?"

"Yup. Wherever the chemical labs are, we need to shut down the defense system to secure a path."

"Do you think you'd be able to take care of one or two E-Guards on your own?"

"Hey, what do you take me for?" Charmy made a face, although mostly hidden by Hazel's large goggles. "I'll have you know that this bee stings, miss!"

That didn't reassure her the least bit. She hesitated for the longest moment, then cautiously asked: "Will you be alright, if I create a diversion and draw these guys away?"

"Ooh." Charmy thought about it for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, that could work. Just don't do anything silly, okay? I'd be sad if you got in trouble because of me."

 _A tad too late for that_ , she thought. But she nodded back. "Find a niche and hide, quick."

With a deep breath, Hazel took the smallest step forward.

And suddenly, panic froze her body.

 _No!_

No. She couldn't do this! The E-Guards would have read right through her lies, and this time there would have been no amendment. They would have crucified her again, torn her apart limb by limb, one whiplash after the other, and she would have screamed and they would have laughed and laughed and laughed…!

Hazel's vision watered up, and she felt as if she was about to collapse. Her mind blacked out, paralyzed by a nameless terror.

"Miss?" Charmy's hushed voice cut through the dark haze of her thoughts. "Miss… I changed my mind. You already did more than you should. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine!"

Hazel rubbed her bleary eyes and looked at him over her shoulder. Even in the shadows, Charmy's expression was warm, understanding; a stupid smile filled with undying optimism was plastered on his face.

The kid wasn't afraid. Probably he wasn't sane, either; but sure as hell he wasn't afraid.

Hazel fixated her gaze back on the staircase. Even her spines were quivering.

And all of a sudden she leapt into the light of the main hall, running towards the E-Guards as if Chaos himself was hot on her trail.

"Help! Please help!" she screamed. Shamming panic took no effort at all.

The four E-Guards turned their unblinking blue optics to her as she came to a stop before them and pointed to the corridor, panting heavily.

"Masters... I'm so glad to see you! Resistance scum… D-dozens of them!" she cried out. "Armed to the teeth!"

The machines didn't react. Hazel's heart gave a leap.

" _Location input"_ demanded one of them in a flat, emotionless tone.

"Oh… err, the tar room!" Hazel improvised, picking one of the furthest areas of the refinery. "Please hurry, before they destroy all the Emperor's properties!"

Whirring into action, the four E-Guards began striding off towards the corridor. Before Hazel could move, however, one of them snatched her wrist.

"H-hey…!"

" _You, with us"_ it commanded.

And Hazel couldn't do anything but allow the mechanical overseer to drag her across the main hall. She didn't see Charmy as they entered the dark of the corridor and headed deeper into the shadows, but she could almost swear she'd caught glimpse of the littlest shimmer on the ceiling… like light reflected on a pair of goggles.

#

It was well past midnight when Hazel finally left the refinery. The place she optimistically called home was a tiny bedsit, hived inside an apartment complex in the slums of Redgate City. There was nothing fancy about it, but she liked it: it was her little sanctuary, the only corner of the world where she could dare feel somewhat safe. Cramped yet cozy, the main chamber was a mixture of living room, kitchenette and bedroom, with an array of mismatched metal and plastic furniture; a drape hanging from the ceiling created a sort of private cubicle, where she kept her hammock, while a small side room was employed as bathroom. In an effort to make the bedsit look a bit less gloomy, Hazel had covered the dull grey walls with cheap but colorful floral posters, and scattered a remarkable collection of pillows of various shapes and size all around the place.

Once she closed the door behind herself, first thing, Hazel went to retrieve an ice pack from the freezer and pressed it against her cheekbone. Relief - cold, amazing relief - immediately soothed the left side of her face, now awfully tumid and marred by a livid bruise larger than her hand. Needless to say, the E-Guards hadn't been pleased with roaming the whole Refinery and still not catching a single insurgent. Hazel didn't know what happened to Charmy, but she was fairly sure he'd got away unscathed: no way the E-Guards would have passed up the opportunity to give everyone a very clear, public demonstration of what awaited those who defied the Empire.

Grimacing ever so slightly, she shuffled to the squat, rust-eaten table and reached out to the handheld device sitting over it. The datapad was the only modern thing in the whole ramshackle house, a _gift_ from the Emperor nobody was allowed to refuse. There were similar contrivances in any house, no matter how poor: Eggman had quickly figured out that relying on televisions and processors was the easiest way to spread propaganda and announcements, as well as keep track of the interests and virtual connections of each and every of his citizens.

As soon as the datapad was switched on, a gleeful music intro started playing.

Pink and purple lights twinkled and swirled across the monitor, creating a luminous vortex; a dark, feminine silhouette appeared inside of it, raising a hand above her head before beginning to bust out sensual dance moves.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Oh for Chao's sake…" she muttered to herself.

 _"Good evening and welcome home, dearest citizen of the Empire! Thank you for dedicating another day of hard work to the glory of Emperor Eggman!"_ The light shifted, and with one last pirouette the figure came into sight: a robot shaped like a pink female hedgehog in a strapless red dress. She flipped her cascade of wire-like spines behind her shoulder and blew a kiss to the camera. _"It's me, your one and only Metal Amy! Now please take a seat and relax, while your favorite idol gives you a little news update!"_

Tonight, the advertisements invited the citizens of the Empire to _"Come sign up for your robotomy treatment!"_ , as Metal Amy suavely twittered. Enhanced strength! Virtual immortality! Ooh, did she already mention that machines had no need to eat, sleep or pay taxes?

 _"And hold tight, my little darlings, because there's more!"_ the idol pressed on with enthusiasm. _"We're excited to announce that, in his endless generosity, Emperor Eggman has decided to grant you all a wondrous extra! Join the Imperial Army, and your family will receive a thousand-ring reward! But hurry up, 'cause the offer is valid for the next month only!"_

A thousand rings... That was more than Hazel could gain in one year. The hedgehog dismissed the thought and left the device on the table while she went to grab some clean towels.

The propaganda monologue ( _"And now we'll proceed to demonstrate the efficacy of a robotic body over an organic one. Stay tuned, darlings~!"_ ) followed Hazel like an unwanted soundtrack as she had a shower, wore her sleepwear, gathered her light brown quills into a sloppy ponytail, cooked a mushroom omelette for dinner and unhurriedly ate it. By the time Metal Amy winked one last time and danced off the screen, finally allowing a free use of the datapad, Hazel finished washing the pan and dishes.

The only search engine in the Empire was the Eggnet, of course, strictly monitored by Eggman's IT companies. Like every night, Hazel immediately checked the missing persons bureau website. Nobody had answered her appeal, unsurprisingly so. She sifted through her usual round of sites, without much luck. According to what she'd gathered through the Eggnet in the last years, only seven denizens - herself included - had got away from Tourmaline Town with their lives. Most of them currently lived in the Capital City, and none was the person she was looking for.

More resigned than saddened, Hazel crossed her arms on the table and rested her chin over them. It didn't matter, she told herself. She would have checked the Eggnet again the following day, and the day after that, over and over.

Her melancholic thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door.

 _Visitors? For me? And this late?_

Leaving the ice pack and the datapad on the table, Hazel put on an old sweater and looked out the peephole. She blinked and opened the door: a familiar bee beamed up at her, a package in his hands.

"Sup! Missed me?"

Hazel quickly pulled him in and locked the door again.

"W-what are you doing here?" she stuttered.

"Just checking on you. And bringing back your stuff." With a buzz of his wings, Charmy set the package on the table. "Et voilà! As promised."

"How did you find me?"

"We do have a trick or two up our sleeves! We are who we are for a reason, after all." The hyper bee twirled in midair. When he looked down at Hazel again, however, his smile dwindled. "Hey, what happened to your face?"

"Nothing to worry about." She sat down at the table and brought the ice pack back to her cheek, hastily covering the bruise. "I… I think you've got some explaining to do, anyway."

"Sure thingie!" Charmy did a little backflip and landed on the opposite side of the table, right over a Chao-shaped pillow. "Where would you like me to start?"

"From the beginning, I guess. Who... What is the Resistance, even?" Hazel hesitated. "Emperor Eggman has always painted you guys in… well, a pretty bad light. He says you're a gang of rogues and renegades who only want to kick up another war and plunge the Empire into chaos... And that you've been pretty much all uprooted."

"Whaaat! We're totally alive and kicking!" Charmy pretended to throw a few punches at the air, as if to underline the concept. "And what we want is a change of direction, not a war. Lookie, Eggman can act as high and mighty as he likes, but he's just a tyrant and a bully. You see how he treats his people, while his freaking machines strut around as if they owned the place!"

Reminiscences of Tourmaline Town on fire and the fox operator exposed like a trophy of that metal cross simmered Hazel's mind. She held the ice pack tighter, until her fingers started going numb.

"The Emperor claims he's building up a world of peace and order." She briefly glanced at the datapad. "But what he truly seeks is a world of robots at his beck and call, right? All that propaganda about undertaking the robotomy treatment…"

"Yeah, pretty much! But that's where the Resistance chimes in. We'll kick his butt and bring back the world, y'know, just the way it was before Eggface went full wacko and conquered it. And then... freedom! For everyone."

Hazel mused the thought for several moments. "Can the Emperor really be overthrown?" she then asked quietly. "Does the Resistance even stand a chance against him?"

"Eggman may have an army and a super fleet and all, but he isn't invincible. He was defeated in the past - a bunch of times actually! - and we can take him down again. Even without..." Charmy's antennae drooped as he looked away. Sorrow flashed through his expression, so quickly that Hazel thought she might have imagined it; then he hugged his legs and flashed her another big smile. "We can totally take him down. So anyway, I was thinking... You're pretty cool, you know! Helping me out like that, knowing things could have turned super ugly if they caught you. You could make a great asset to the Resistance!"

"Oh?" Hazel flinched. "Who, me?"

"Like, seriously! Those freaky E-Guards would have messed me up for real, if you didn't step in."

"But…"

"Oh damn, but now it will be _Vector_ to mess me up! Hey, any chance you could do the 'Whee, Charmy is over there!' thing with him too? Perhaps it'll work again!"

"—But I can't join the Resistance."

"Uh?" Charmy looked at her with a quizzical expression. "But... Don't you want to fight Eggman?"

"Well..." Hazel awkwardly scratched the back of her quills. "I appreciate all your efforts, I really do. But I cannot join you. I'm… just not cut out to be a rebel. Everything I'm good for is sweeping floors and polishing old machines."

"And improvising!" Charmy piped in. "You saved my life, remember?"

"That was a fluke." The hedgehog shook her head. "Furthermore, there's somebody I'm looking for. I know it doesn't sound as heroic as fighting a dictator, but that's my number one priority, I'm sorry."

"Hey, even better." Against all odds, Charmy beamed again. "We could catch two birds with one cinder toffee! The Resistance has a bunch of contacts all around the world, you know?"

Hazel's orange stare slowly shifted to him.

"Think about it!" Charmy insisted. "You make a stand against Eggman, _and_ you get in touch with our best info people. If there's someone who can help you find that person, it's them. I'll have you know my friends and I were part of a private detective agency, too! And after all the stuff I put you through, I definitely owe you one."

The datapad lay on the table, the monitor still displaying Hazel's unanswered plea. "Can... your friends really help me?"

A serious, almost solemn look fell on Charmy's face. "Yeah. But it's gonna be dangerous. Like, crazy dangerous."

Opposing the Emperor. Willingly putting herself in the crosshairs of his army. It was more than madness - it would have been like basically signing her own death warrant.

Hazel felt the urge to hide under the blankets, pretending this was all an odd dream. But instead, she heard her own voice ask softly:

"Where can I find these friends of yours?"

* * *

Hallo!

Man, this took way longer than expected, but there we go. Hope you enjoyed the read!

Aaaand, some ninja notes~!

\- In this ff, Redgate City is the name of the urban area hosting the stages of Ghost Town, Park Avenue, Sunset Heights and Red Gate Bridge. 'Cause apparently it doesn't have a name in the game - it's just called City. (Yes, Redgate City. 'Cause Red Gate Bridge and City. And yes, I'm a creative person.) :3 Also, here the city is no longer at war, but effectively secured under Eggman's control.

\- In this ff, the Eggman's Empire has been around for roughly 4 years instead of six months, because six months sounds like an awfully short time to conquer 99% of the world. Even taking for granted that Sonic's world is much smaller than Earth.

\- Little warning, the story is likely to tackle pretty dark themes, and grow progressively darker over time. (Seriously, I cannot possibly be the only one who was a bit taken aback by how, in SF, Sonic allegedly spends six months "getting tortured" in the Death Egg, but when we get to see him he's cool as a cucumber and just waltzes off as if nothing happened. I'm... not sure that's how torture works? But oh well.)

A giant and especially fluffy llama plushie to **SteelFairy** and **Dragonfire719** for the lovely reviews! :D Thank you, guys! I also followed your suggestions, as you can see - the "" thingies are here to stay!

Shoutout to **Mage of Hope, XDawnKnight,** **eggers** , **Canela67, CarlaRadames025670** and **Tailsimp,** too, for fav/following the story. :3

All you guys are love.

Syrence, out~! /vanishes into the night/


	3. The Hornets' Nest

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **3**

 **The Hornets' Nest**

Embedded into one of the several dark, narrow alleys forming the slums of Redgate City, the Hornets' Nest looked just as squalid as the rest of its surroundings. The metal facade of the bar showed tracks of dirt and corrosion, and the neon sign hanging above the entrance flickered weakly, to the point an observer would have had to squint in order to make out the stylized wasp depicted over it. Underneath the wasp, phosphorescent thin tubes crookedly formed the words _Hornets' Nest._

Hazel nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other, staring up at the main door. Indecision, the subtle shadow that had followed her every day of her life, was as always gnawing at the back of her mind. What she was about to do was just a step below insanity, she knew it. In the Eggman Empire, the strong crushed the weak and ate the wounded; someone like her, little more than residue lying at the bottom of the food chain, could only hold fast and pray the following day wouldn't have brought even more misery… misery that would have come for sure, had she chosen to make a stand against the Emperor.

 _Against the Emperor!_ The thought itself tasted like craziness. More than that: like blasphemy. Rumour went that Emperor Eggman was immortal, gifted with immeasurable intelligence and near divine powers. Going up against him meant going up against a god, and worse, against the whole world… There would have been nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. _Nowhere..._

Something very cold and very heavy came crashing down on Hazel's stomach. In spite of what Charmy had said, she wasn't sure she had what it took to join the Resistance. In fact, as she stood shivering in front of the Hornets' Nest, she wasn't sure she had what it took to do anything at all.

The sky above her head was completely engulfed in dark, reddish clouds, a consequence of the crazy amount of pollution produced by the city. It was hard to tell what time it was, but Hazel knew it was getting late, and she had to make up her mind soon. Only three kinds of people roamed the most dodgy district of Redgate City at night: drunkards, exhausted workers, and muggers with an habit to prey on the other two categories.

 _I don't -have- to do this_ , she thought, as beads of sweat began dampening her neck. _I could walk away… pretend nothing ever happened..._

The temptation was strong, but her boots remained rooted to the ground. This was her only chance to find who she was looking for... No. There was more to it. Hazel knew that, had she fled again now, she would have spent the rest of her life fleeing. And the thought was simply unacceptable, even for a coward like her.

Balling up her hands into fists, the hedgehog swallowed hard and pushed the door open.

As a welcome gift, a thick smell of alcohol and stale air immediately hit her lungs. The Hornets' Nest looked exactly like a bar in the shallows of Redgate City was expected to look: a small, shabby room, scarcely illuminated by a row of dusty lamps on the wall. The scruffy wallpaper was peeled away here and there, revealing glimpses of the brick wall beneath; a jukebox and two slot machines glittered weakly in a corner, all of them bearing quite the old and worn appearance.

Behind the counter stood one of the largest men Hazel had ever seen: a towering, broad-shouldered crocodile with a gilded chain around his neck. Looking bored beyond words, he absent-mindedly wiped the counter with a filthy rag, without noticing the counter was turning dirtier and dirtier at each stroke.

Nobody else was in the bar. Taking a deep breath, Hazel made her way through the rickety tables and hesitatingly approached the crocodile. "E-excuse me?"

"Hmm?" The bartender snapped his attention to her.

Up close, he looked even bigger. Hazel stared at his razor sharp teeth, and felt her legs turn into jelly. "Ah, g-g-good evening. I w-was wondering if I could have a… a…" Damn, what had Charmy said again...? "A... a Lucky Wasp Special please, on the rocks. And two olives."

The crocodile furrowed his brow, now openly studying her. "Of course, miss. It's our specialty. Shall I add some gin to it?"

Hazel's heart pounded wildly. Charmy was right! And now, the following line of that convoluted password was…

"I d-don't like gin. It tastes too sour for my liking."

"It's the same taste we'll leave in Eggman's mouth, after we topple him for good." The bartender grinned at Hazel, before briefly crouching down to press a hidden switch. A few seconds later a metallic noise could be heard, followed by the sound of a lock clicking open. The bartender drummed his knuckles on the wall on his right, drawing Hazel's attention to it: there was a door, there, but it merged so perfectly with the dusty wallpaper that she would have never noticed it, had he not pointed it out.

The bartender's grin widened. "I'm Vector. And welcome to the Resistance, rookie."

#

The door led to a small elevator. Excluding the bar, there seemed to be only another floor available. It was too late to pull back now, so Hazel inhaled deeply and pushed the button. Whirring, the elevator began its slow descent... and panic kicked in.

 _What if this was all an elaborate trap to drive eventual agitators out?_ Hazel feverishly fidgeted on the spot. _Maybe Charmy was just an imperial spy… Maybe this is how Eggman culls the rebellion! By drawing idiots like me into underground pits where their bodies will never be found! Holy Chao, am I gonna die?_

The elevator came to a stop, and the metallic doors creaked open. Terrified, the hedgehog hazarded a slow step forward.

And she found herself in the Resistance HQ.

An array of radars, monitors and shelving units lined the walls. On her right was a well-equipped computer hub, surrounded by piles of scraps. The middle of the room was occupied by a large, square table, almost completely covered with digital maps and parchments. All around it, several people were absorbed in a lively discussion - which suddenly quieted down as they turned to look at her.

Hazel's cheeks turned pink.

She knew some of those faces. Heroes of the past, who had stood up against doctor Robotnik and thwarted his plans under the lead of the Blue Blur, Sonic the Hedgehog. They had fallen from grace, a few even had a price on their head, but here they were... looking grim, perhaps, yet resolute. Despite what Eggman declared in his propaganda, the Resistance was far from uprooted.

"Hey, it's you! Was about time you showed up!" A familiar-looking bee waved cheerfully at her, floating about one foot above the head of the others. "She's the chick I told you about, guys! The one who helped me out at the refinery" chirped Charmy. "Our new recruit!"

A burly red echidna straightened his back. There was something, about his hard amethyst eyes, that gave off the mien of a leader. "The operation at the refinery was a success. We managed to infiltrate and weaken one of Eggman's main fuel stocks, and I hear it was also thanks to you that we had no... casualties." He glared at Charmy, who sheepishly scratched his antennae, before returning his gaze to Hazel. "Thanks for that. Commander Knuckles, at your service."

"Espio" was the curt introduction of a magenta chameleon.

"Name's Silver" A white hedgehog smiled at Hazel.

"I'm Amy Rose. It's nice to meet you!" A pink hedgehog girl tweeted.

Hazel offered a small awkward smile in return. "Likewise. I'm Hazel." Her attention lingered on Amy for a moment longer. "But, um…"

"No, I have nothing to do with that robotic bimbo scrubber that Eggman loves flaunting around" sighed Amy.

"Well, Metal Amy _is_ based on you" commented Silver. "Eggman must really like your looks. Which is both odd and kind of creepy, when you think about it."

"Excuse me, what's _odd_ about someone appreciating my looks?" snapped Amy.

"As we were saying" Knuckles brusquely chimed in. "So, what were you doing in that refinery, rookie? Are you perhaps affiliated with other... insurgents?"

He exchanged a knowing glance with Espio, who tensed up ever so slightly.

Hazel shook her head. "Nothing like that. I just, well, work there. In the refinery, I mean."

"That place's sooo nasty" said Charmy, shuddering ever so slightly. "Tell 'em about it!"

Hazel twisted her hands and instinctively sought out Silver's gaze; he gave her a warm smile and a nod, encouraging her to continue. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but she couldn't place her finger on what.

She looked back at Knuckles and breathed in. "The Redgate Refinery is… dreadful. Workers are treated as nothing short of slaves, forced to work up to sixteen hours a day, c-constantly under the surveillance of Eggman's E-Guards. Whenever one of us tries to stand up to them, or simply slows down a bit…" After a moment's hesitation, she turned around and lifted her shirt, just enough to expose the small of her back. She heard Amy gasp and Silver mutter a curse under his teeth as the reticle of scars left by the plasma whips came into view. "The E-Guards do this publicly, to keep the rest in line. Security measures are joke, too... The fuel tanks often cook more than what they can handle, and sometimes they just explode... taking out anyone unlucky enough to be in the wrong place in the wrong moment."

She lowered her shirt with trembling hands and faced the Resistance agents again.

"It's terrible" Amy sighed. "And what's even worse, it's the same situation over and over, everywhere. All those poor people…"

"Eggman's regime is built on abuses and persecutions" said Silver angrily. "Either you're with him or against him, and neither side is safe. He won't stop until the whole world is crushed under his thumb."

"Which will happen soon, if we don't find a way to turn the tables." Knuckles crossed his arms, a deep frown falling on his face.

Hazel nervously glanced between the Resistance agents. "About the refinery... Charmy mentioned some kind of super w-weapon… getting built right under the it...?"

The Commander scrutinized her a moment longer, perhaps questioning how much she could be trusted; eventually he leant forward and rested his gloved hands on the table. "What Charmy said is right. _Reliable sources_ " - he spoke those last words with a tone of distaste - "reported that Eggman is trying to enhance his airship fleet with a new type of chemical cluster bomb. The bomb prototype is currently getting developed and perfected inside an underground workshop, which Espio was successfully able to locate. We have pretty good reasons to believe it's in the area called Sector Celsius."

"Bingo!" Charmy cheered.

"According to these sources, the prototype is highly unstable and it might blow up any day" said Silver. "Getting rid of it is a must. Eggman won't give a flying fudge about the people who'll die in the explosion, as long as his precious fuel is safe."

In a flash, Hazel remembered how oddly quiet the tank room had been during the previous night. _As if the fuel had been transferred to another location…_ she thought, and a shudder of realization crawled up her spine.

"I'll take care of it." Espio turned to Knuckles. "If that's okay with you, I'll contact the Sphynx Unit on the double."

The echidna nodded. "Of course."

"Hey hey hey, can I-"

"No, Charmy, you're grounded for a month."

"Aww…"

"That's what you get for sneaking out on your own without permission, _and_ almost jeopardizing the whole mission with your recklessness" asserted Knuckles sternly.

"Oh _come on!_ " Charmy puffed his cheeks. "I can look after myself! It was me to break into the control center and shut down the security system, remember?"

"Yeah, almost killing yourself in the process."

Amy sighed, then looked at Hazel. "What now? Are you planning to go back to that horrible place?"

"Well… I must" said Hazel. "I'll be in deep trouble if I lose my job. You know h-how Emperor Eggman is..."

"You can call him just Eggman. Or more colorful names, if you prefer." Knuckles smirked. "Nobody's gonna rat on you here."

Hazel blushed. "Right... Eggman, er, he doesn't take kindly to delays when it comes to his taxes. If I can't pay, I'll get thrown in jail and executed. And, um... I really don't wanna die, if I can avoid it."

"At least this can be solved easily" said Knuckles. "I'm positive Vector could use a helping hand with the bar. The pay ain't exactly princely, but it's more than enough to cough up what's needed for the taxes. Furthermore, you need someone to show you the ropes, don't you? Sounds like a win-win to me."

Hazel blinked. "Y-you mean…?"

"This is your one-way ticket out of that pigsty, rookie. If you'll have it, of course."

Hazel's brain took a while to process Knuckles' words. She stared at him, speechless for several moments, disbelief and incredulous hope slowly blooming on her face. "For… real?" she finally stuttered.

"You bet." Knuckles cracked her a broad grin. "So, shall I take that as a 'yeah', or a 'heck yeah'?"

The scars on her back would have faded and healed, not to be renewed anymore. No one would have hanged her to a metal cross or another contraption, with the cold air biting painfully into her open wounds, displayed for all to see; never again. Was it even possible? It sounded too good to be true.

"So?" Knuckles nudged her.

Hazel felt the sudden urge to hug him, to hug everyone inside that room. "Y-yeah! I… thank you! Thank you so, so, so much!"

"S' fine." A light smirk tugged at the corner of the Commander's mouth. "One day, we'll make sure Eggman answers for his actions _thoroughly_ , but for the moment we'll have to patch things up at the best of our possibilities. By the way - while Vector tutors you, we should also arrange your training schedule. We'll need to test the waters before assigning you to a Unit."

Before Hazel could ask about that, Silver anticipated her.

"The Resistance is made up of four Units, which are, in turn, made up of several squads" he explained. "Each Unit is led by a Taskmaster and is focused on a certain field of expertise. They can be summed up in combat, research, espionage and medical support. Once our cadets are deemed sufficiently ready, they join the Unit they're best suited for." The white hedgehog jerked his thumb towards his chest. "I'm part of the Cerberus Unit. We're the armed wing of the Resistance, those who charge in and pack the biggest punch. Let's say we like dealing with things up close and personal."

"Oh, and I help out with the Siren Unit!" Amy beamed. "Some of us handle the construction and maintenance of our airships and gear, but we also take care of keeping the communications running smoothly, as well as lending a hand when it comes to navigate dangerous areas. Make sure to call us if you're in trouble!"

"I'm in the Sphynx Unit" Espio said dryly. "Infiltration, intel gathering, undercover and detective work. And counterespionage, obviously."

"And the last one is the Phoenix Unit" said Knuckles, inclining his head to a small door Hazel hadn't noticed before. Once again, it was almost perfectly camouflaged with the wall. "That's the hospital wing. The Phoenixes provide support and medical aid when required. Eggman captured their Taskmaster, but her daughter is just as skilled as she is, if a tad too inclined to work herself to the bone."

As if summoned by his words, in that very moment the hidden door creaked open and two girls stepped out. One of them was a violet cat who looked about Hazel's same age; she was very pale in her face and had her left arm in a cast, yet carried herself with a quiet dignity that inspired a natural awe. By her side stood the littlest nurse Hazel had ever seen, a petite bunny whose fur was just a bit lighter than her own; her expression was kind yet serious, and the insignia of a golden wing was knitted on her nursing cap and dress.

"Blaze!" said Silver, relief in his voice. "How do you feel?"

"Much better, thank you. Cream did a splendid job as usual." The cat offered a faint smile to the nurse.

"Oh, it was nothing" said the latter in a soft, polite voice. "Just please be more careful next time, okay? Eggman's robots can be really mean."

"Blaze, Cream, meet our newest recruit!" Amy motioned towards Hazel. "Hazel, these are the Taskmaster of the Cerberus Unit and the temporary Taskmaster of the Phoenix Unit. At least until we rescue Vanilla."

Blaze regally inclined her head. "Well met."

"Nice to meet you, miss Hazel." Cream joined her hands behind her back, smiling. "Please come see us, should you get hurt. We'll patch you up in no time."

"Don't let Cream's young age fool you" said Knuckles. "She's more competent than what looks would suggest."

"Yep! Just like me!" grinned Charmy.

Hazel offered a shy smile in greeting, yet couldn't help but notice neither Cream or Blaze were wearing a localizer-collar… nor did anyone else in the room. A sudden realization struck her - soon followed by a wave of horror.

"Commander…" Her hand automatically gripped the thick metal ring around her neck.

Knuckles cast her a look, but didn't look worried. "The HQ is safe. As long as you stick around the Nest, Tails' old security measures will completely jam any localizer signal. That said, we should replace that with a fake collar asap anyway. Amy, can you take care of that?"

"Sure!" The pink hedgehog nodded.

"You weren't kidding when you said she's new." Blaze observed Hazel, who suddenly felt more aware than ever of how slovenly and clumsy she must have looked, compared to the cat. "Who's her mentor?"

"Vector, starting from… tomorrow" Knuckles decided. "We'll see what the rookie can do."

"She'll do great!" Amy drew nearer and clasped both Hazel's hands. "I hope to see you in my Unit!"

"I wish I could say the same, but I can't" Blaze said dryly. "As a matter of fact, I hope to never see you with Cerberus." She then turned to Knuckles: "I'll be off to Seaside Hill. The siege is still ongoing."

"And you're still injured" Silver objected. "Seriously, Blaze, you cannot fight in those conditions!"

"It's only a scratch." Blaze shook her head. "And physical pain means nothing, Silver, you should know it better than most. Eggman's army won't stop just because I'm wounded, and half of the Squad Leaders have been taken out already." She stared at Knuckles, her face sculpted in determination. "My Unit needs me."

Knuckles closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "Your Unit has no use for a dead Taskmaster. You may go, but keep away from the frontline." Before Blaze could protest, the Commander added: "Your tactical skills and battle presence are as valuable as your flames, to the Cerberus Unit. Keep that in mind. Good luck."

Blaze rigidly bowed her head, then - with one last look at Silver, which he reciprocated - she turned around and stalked off. The doors of the elevator whirred closed behind her.

"Is she always like... that?" Hazel asked, a little intimidated.

"Oh, yeah. She likes pretending to be untouchable, but she's one of the most caring people I know." Silver smiled faintly, although unable to disguise the worry in his expression. "Also, what she meant earlier was that the Cerberus brings the fight to Eggman. They're always involved in the boldest war strategies, always taking every chance and risk, ready for anything in order to strike at the Imperial Army... and consequently, it's the Unit with the heaviest number of casualties. Blaze tries her hardest, but even she can't protect everyone."

"I see..." Hazel felt a surge of admiration. No surprise Blaze was a high-ranking agent.

"I hope she'll be okay" murmured Cream.

"She's too cool to be not-okay." Charmy flipped in midair. "Not as cool as the Sphynx Unit, though!"

" _Every_ Unit is needed" Knuckles said with a shrug. "Back to the matter at hand... Charmy, go call Vector. Time to introduce him to his new trainee."

#

Several miles away from there, the war airship _Eggsecutioner_ hovered lazily above Westopolis. Although far from large, it was one of the most feared airships of the imperial fleet: sharp and spindle-shaped, a wonder of aerodynamics, even at idling speed it glided through the sky with the deadly elegance of a shark through the tide. The imperial logo, Eggman's stylized face, grinned from each of the four wings, red against the silvery metal.

Inside the _Eggsecutioner_ 's flight deck were two figures. One of them was a robot looking a lot like an E-Guard, if white and crimson instead of grey and sporting spiked gauntlets and greaves. The emblem of the Egg Peacemakers - Eggman's police and suppression corps - was well visible on his torso, the decal displaying a robotic head on top of two crossed laser guns. Seated in the cockpit of the airship, the Peacemaker silently monitored the flight controls.

Right outside the cockpit, the other figure paced back and forth, hands joined behind his back. He had once been a creature of flesh and bones, but it was hard to discern of what species: only his right arm, chest and upper face still displayed tracks of his previous self, more specifically a coat of white fur, bright red eyes and a single pointy ear. The rest of his body was tightly clad in kevlar, and he didn't shy away from showing it: his muzzle had been turned into synthetic metal jaws, his legs and left arm replaced by prosthesis of the same material, all in plain sight. A barbed, steel-grey stub protruded from the side of his head in lieu of the missing ear, and long metal spikes jutted out from his cranium, rigidly oscillating every time he moved his head. His upper body was protected by a light cuirass, with the insignia of the Egg Peacemakers stamped over it at the height of his chest; three crimson straps on his left shoulderguard marked his rank as captain.

The Peacemakers' captain wasn't renown to be a temperate man, and the wait was trying his already short patience. When the Emperor had ordered him to find and kill the Commander of the Resistance, the captain had personally chosen the perfect hitman, a prodigy of robotic efficiency straight from the finest workshop of the Empire. And yet, not only the hitman was irritatingly late, but whenever he tried to get in contact with the machine the only answer he received was a depressing, static buzz. Frustrated, the captain was about to send out another call, when the screen implanted into the wall of the flight deck suddenly flickered to life.

 _Finally!_

He stopped on his tracks and turned to look at it, eagerly expecting to see the killing machine, to hear it confirm Knuckles' assassination… But the person on the other end of the screen wasn't his hitman.

It was a tall, paunchy man, bald yet with gloriously bushy moustaches, seated on a steel throne. And judging by the dangerous shade of red on his face, Emperor Eggman was not in a good mood.

 _"Vanadium!"_ he barked. _"What's the meaning of this, you useless waste of polyamides? You were supposed to get rid of that pesky echidna months ago!"_

With a disgruntled snort, the cyborg captain brought the kevlar gauntlet to his chest, saluting the Emperor. "My deepest apologies, sir." His low, raspy voice oddly reminded of gears clinking against each other. "My hitman seems to have found some kind of… impediment."

 _"Yes, I noticed that! One task, one simple task, and still you keep on disappointing me over and over!"_

"The echidna is… stronger than predicted, sir. Either that, or someone is protecting him."

 _"Then tear his protectors apart!"_ bellowed Eggman, exasperated. _"My Egg Peacemakers are still under your command - for the moment. Outnumber those rebels and make scrap iron out of them, before I decide to do the same to you!"_

"Yes, sir."

 _"And don't botch this up._ _My patience is running thin, Vanadium. Next time you force me to send Infinite to clean up your mess, there will be consequences."_

"Sir..." Vanadium interrupted himself. A shadow had quietly descended beside the Emperor and now stared straight at the Peacemakers' captain, his one eye gleaming gold under the lightning-shaped visor of his mask. Vanadium clenched his metal teeth and glared back at Eggman's righthand man. "You."

 _"Me."_ Infinite canted his head to the side, his tone cold and amused. _"What's wrong, -captain-, is this too onerous of a task for you? Would you prefer to just step down now, and save yourself the embarrassment of yet another failure?"_

Vanadium growled. "Are you implying I'm not suited for my rank, Infinite?"

 _"Oh, I'm not implying anything. Facts are."_

"You…!" It took every ounce of willpower Vanadium had to hold back the words pressing against his lips; he knew Eggman wouldn't have appreciated them. Instead, he focused his attention back to the Emperor. "I'll bring you the echidna's head, sir, I swear… no matter what it takes."

Eggman grumbled. " _I'll give you two months more, Vanadium. Now go to extirpate some vermin, and report to me as soon as you're done."_

The screen switched off, interrupting the connection.

A mechanical snarl resounded through Vanadium's jaws, right before he slammed his fist against the wall of the flight deck. The Peacemaker pilot didn't react; perhaps accustomed to similar reactions, perhaps possessing some kind of survival instinct lodged within its servos, the machine focused on its duty without daring to meet its captain's eye.

Vanadium slowly pulled back his gauntlet from the wall. Emperor Eggman's words had burned him more than he cared to admit. All those years spent dutifully serving the Empire, breaking his back in the name of his liege, and still the Emperor mistrusted him. He mistrusted _him_ , Vanadium, his most loyal and devoted agent!

Infinite, on the other hand…

Acrid jealousy ran like poison through what little blood Vanadium still possessed. It was no secret that the cursed jackal was the Emperor's favorite. Not only was he the leader of the Imperial Army, but the Emperor seemed to indulge him in everything he did, never missing a chance to involve him in the most crucial missions and occasionally even _consulting_ him for advice.

Vanadium would have never understood what was so special about Infinite. So what if he had helped the Emperor capture some insignificant blue hedgehog? Without the power of the Phantom Ruby to enhance him, he would have been nothing but a lousy mutt. He had no right to stay at the top of the Empire... He had no right to be the Emperor's chosen. Not when that place should have been _his,_ Vanadium's.

The screen on the wall flickered again. Vanadium glowered at it, until the upper frame of one of his Peacemakers came into view.

 _"Captain."_ The robot saluted. _"KLR-4277's position has been located."_

His hitman!

"Where is it? Why isn't it responding to me?" Vanadium growled.

 _"Status of KRL-4277: obliterated. The last efficient signal has been recorded in Redgate City."_

"What? How... nevermind." Vanadium clenched his metal fingers. "Gather the thirteenth division, we'll sift through the city." A sudden idea bolted through his mind. "And bring E-8000 Alpha."

 _"E-8000 Alpha is still in... alpha phase, captain."_

"You think I don't know that?" he snarled. "It doesn't matter. I want that piece of junk ready and functional in less than two weeks, is that clear?"

The Peacemaker didn't object further. _"Affirmative, captain. Plan input?"_

"We'll unleash E-8000 Alpha on Redgate City, with the direct order to kill any organic garbage it finds. Imperial citizens or not, the Resistance and its precious Commander will come to their rescue for sure." Vanadium chuckled bitterly. "Nothing like a good old fashioned massacre to lure out a so-called _hero_. And then... revenge. Those rebellious idiots will be dead before even realizing they'd never stood a chance in the first place."

 _"Roger, captain. Over and out."_

Destroying the Commander, no, the whole Resistance... That would have finally gained him the Emperor's trust, the stepping stone to his greatest project. Even Infinite's little stunt with the blue hedgehog would have been forgotten in no time. Vanadium's claws clicked on the wall in satisfaction. Oh, and note to himself: he would have made sure to get rid of Infinite, of course, but only after tearing down the mongrel's mask and wiping the smirk off his face. Possibly with something sharp and deadly.

"Pilot, set a new course" Vanadium turned to the Peacemaker in the cockpit. "We're heading to Redgate City."

* * *

Hallo again, and happy New Year!

What awaits Hazel now? Will she finally manage to find whoever she's searching for? And will Vanadium-chan ever be noticed by Eggman-senpai? Stay tuned for more!

Ninja notes~

\- Yep, Blaze is here! For a reason, I promise. I'm also trying to go for the Blaze of Sonic Rush rather than the Blaze of 06, personality-wise. Less of a mature sister-figure to Silver and more of a badass fearless queen. Silver is here for a reason as well, although not quite the same reason hinted by the Sonic Forces comic issues.

\- So here the Resistance is split in Units, and their names are Cerberus, Siren, Phoenix and Sphynx. I swear I must have changed the name of the Siren Unit at least thrice while writing the chapter, ultimately going for Siren because, in the legends where they weren't luring sailors with their tantalizing songs in order to murder and/or eat them, sirens actually guided sailors through storms or rescued them when they were about to drown. I found it rather fitting, since one of the tasks of the Siren Unit, like Amy says, is to help out with navigation and communications.

A _super giant_ penguin plushie to **SteelFairy** and **Dragonfire719** for the heart-warming reviews! You guys rock. (heart) And you totally nailed their age, Dragon! I have no idea how old is Infinite, but judging from the comic I'd guess he's indeed a young adult. In this story he's somewhere around his twenties. I'm planning to rework the attitude and personality some characters a bit, for better or for worse, to try and fit them a little more smoothly into the role the game developers designated for them. I still think Sonic Forces is a good game, and that its main big flaw is... well, how incredibly _rushed_ it feels. (Also Knuckles' planning skills honestly suck.)

Shoutout to all these wonderful cupcakes for the support:

Steel Fairy

Dragonfire719

Canela67

Lucina Moonlight

Mage of Hope

RandomUser001

XDawnKnight

ales1698

eggers

CarlaRadames025670

EnigmaZZ

Tailsimp

ales1698

Syrence, out~!

/vanishes away into the night/


	4. Onset

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **4**

 **Onset**

Hazel's new life as recruit of the Resistance started out surprisingly smooth, much to the timid hedgehog's relief. She'd spend most of her time at the Hornets' Nest, working as barmaid alongside Vector. The crocodile still greatly intimidated her, but as days passed she began knowing him a little better, and with knowledge came respect. Current Taskmaster of the Sphinx Unit, Vector had once been the leader of a detective agency, and he knew his stuff when it came to dealing with the underworld. His main duty seemed to be guarding the main entrance to the HQ and sealing it away in case of emergency, but Hazel inferred there was much more to it; she could tell it from the way he'd occasionally slink away to talk with this or that _client_ , or slide datapads into their pockets, or straight-up disappear for hours.

Whenever he did that, a soft-spoken female chameleon in a floral kimono showed up to take his place. The chameleon had introduced herself as Sayuri and bore a striking resemblance to Espio. Although her manners were always more than polite, Sayuri rarely spoke about herself, gently deflecting questions and changing topic whenever inquired. Sphinxes were like that, Hazel quickly learnt, always tight-lipped about their personal life.

When Vector _was_ around, however, he juggled lessons of bartending - teaching Hazel how to make a variety of snacks, mix cocktails and navigate her way through the maze of bottles aligned behind the counter - with ones of espionage, during which he showed her how to subtly place bugs and recorders and how to recognize the supporters of the Resistance among the aficionados of the bar. Needless to say, each of them (from smugglers to spies to simple Resistance sympathizers) required their own codes and passwords, some more convoluted than others; and Hazel dutifully memorized them all, if at the price of a few goofs and a massive headache.

Every now and then, mysterious packages would find their way to the Nest, either brought or _accidentally forgotten_ by an agent in disguise. When that happened, Vector sent Hazel around Redgate City to deliver them, apparently to random addresses. The recruit was starting to get an idea of the Resistance's numbers, and she was mildly surprised to find that some of her newfound allies - undercover Sphinxes in particular - were among the richest big shots of Redgate City.

"Wave the Swallow, seriously?" Hazel asked Vector in shock, after finding out who the recipient of her last delivery was. " _That_ Wave? The CEO of the Accevive Corp.?"

"The one and only."

"But... the Accevive Corp. is, like, the biggest hovervehicles-manifacturing business in the whole Empire. Pretty much every hoverbike, hovercar and hovercraft in town come out from there. Eggman must be all over it, and you're telling me the CEO is...?"

"One of our main backers, yeah. And best agents, I might add."

Well, that explained where the Resistance got the funds for their military and technological resources.

To Hazel's dismay, however, not even Vector was able to help her in her most personal search. The person she was looking for seemed to have dropped off the face of earth. Regardless, the Taskmaster of the Sphinx Unit had filed all the informations she could provide him and sent them through the digital archive of the Resistance. If any agent ever found out anything about him, Vector promised, she would have been the first to know. But Hazel wasn't that naive not to notice the pity in his eyes as he said that. Vector had spent enough time in that war to ultimately come to terms with what she was still struggling to accept.

Refusing to give up hope, Hazel threw herself into work. Either at the Nest or around Redgate City, she made sure to keep herself busy, sticking to Vector's directives and striving to perform her tasks at the best of her possibilities, without uttering a word of complaint if he called her at two o'clock in the morning to make a delivery to the other side of the city. She wanted to be optimistic, for once. To begin with, no matter how bothersome, anything was better than working at the refinery. And even if nobody could help her in her search, then she would have found that person by herself, one way or another. He wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead. That was what Hazel stubbornly repeated to herself. No, he had to be enslaved somewhere, or perhaps fighting the Empire under a different identity.

And if Hazel wanted half a chance to track him down, then she needed to become a better agent.

"Keep in mind the rule of the three Q" Vector told her during one of their lessons in the headquarters. He lifted three fingers, tapping on each of them as he continued: "Quick, Quiet, Questioning. A good spy knows when it's time to act and when to lay low. You must take nothing for granted and make sure you always have one or two backup plans in store in case the first one fails, especially when it comes to securing an escape route. The odds may not be stacked in our favor, but don't forget, rookie, that Eggman's greatest strength is also his greatest weakness."

"How do you mean?"

"He thinks he's got the world under his thumb, right? And because of that, he deems the Resistance more of a nuisance than a threat. Until recently, he didn't even bother to take serious action against us. From his point of view, he has everything and we have nothing, especially with Sonic out of the picture."

Sonic... the hero.

"Is it true what the Emp- what Eggman's propaganda messages say?" asked Hazel shyly. "Is… er, is Sonic the Hedgehog truly... gone?"

Vector's face went dark. "We never found the body, if that's what you're asking, but that's not a good reason to get your hopes up. Tails saw Eggman's monster defeat him with his own eyes, and Eggman made sure to spread recordings of that fight all around the Eggnet. Four years have passed… Trust me, kid, if Sonic were alive, the Empire wouldn't exist." He shook his head. "Ah, well… No point in dwelling on the past. Now, where was I? Right, Eggman's weakness. It's true the Resistance is forced to act in the shadows, but it's also true we have outposts all across the Empire, built right under Eggman's nose, and he doesn't have the slightest idea. The size of the Empire itself protects us, see? Even with his flunkies' help, you can be damn sure that the Egghead's got his hands full. Too many irons in the fire, if you know what I mean. He looks away from Capital City, and three imperial airship get stolen from his personal hangar. _So_ he focuses his attention back to Capital City - but in the meanwhile, his main weapon factory in Westopolis gets blown up and the railway in Green Hill is sabotaged. You get what I'm saying?"

Hazel nodded. "I think so. No matter how many machines Eggman builds, he and his henchmen cannot be everywhere at the same time."

"Precisely." Vector began pacing back and forth across the HQ. "Nonetheless, just because Eggman underestimates us, that doesn't mean we should do the same with him. He _did_ conquer the world, and made some powerful friends on his way, too. Even if he cannot keep a close eye on the whole Empire, when he strikes he strikes hard. There are no easy ways around it, rookie: just stay vigilant, listen to your superiors' directives, and with some luck you may survive."

Hazel swallowed nervously. "I… I'll do my best."

"Good. Let's go back to the bar, now. We'd best not leave Sayuri alone with Charmy for too long, kid can hold his ground surprisingly well but he's still quite the exceptional troublemaker." Vector grumbled. "And you need to work on your Piña Colada, missy. How are you going to pull off the barmaid cover, if you keep on mixing up brandy and whisky?"

Hazel blushed. "Sorry."

But her anxiety was pulling its invisible strings again, painting scenarios she didn't want to see, whispering things she didn't need to hear. No matter how organized, no matter how tight-knit, the Resistance still looked painfully small compared to the immensity of the Empire. Did they really stand a chance, without Sonic the Hedgehog?

#

It had been two weeks since Hazel joined the Resistance. That afternoon, instead of helping Vector at the Nest, she'd been sent to Espio's place for some combat practice. Truth to be told, Hazel was less than thrilled at the idea. She'd never been much of a fighter, and if Espio was indeed the scion of a ninja house, as Charmy said, then he'd probably annihilate her fair and square on the spot. Although humiliation and physical pain were just part of the routine, in the Empire, that didn't mean Hazel had ever grown immune to either. Quite the opposite: the old, ugly scars seared into her skin prickled uncomfortably whenever she spotted one of Eggman's robots - especially the Egg Peacemakers, Eggman's select police, which looked just like a bigger, meaner version of the E-Guards patrolling the refinery.

However, those very scars also reminded her that Espio was one of the good guys and that things could have been worse, much worse. Hazel disliked violence, and deep down she was aware she would have never made a strong warrior, but she would have tried her hardest anyway. She would have learnt, if not to attack, at least to defend. As she walked to Espio's home, gloved hands in the pockets of her jacket, Hazel was surprised to feel a little less gloomy than usual. Even the red-violet clouds constantly obscuring the sky seemed to abate somewhat, allowing her to take a glimpse at the ghost of the sun above.

Ten minutes later, Hazel was observing the wooden stick she held in her hands: it was about the size of a pocket knife, and its every extremity had been carefully rounded and smoothed out, evidently meant to hit and not to stab. She cast a puzzled look at Espio.

"You want to train with this thing…?"

"For now, yes. Were we to use real knives, the fight would be over in a matter of seconds. No offence meant."

Hazel's cheeks reddened. Well, it was true. "None taken."

Espio's residence was only a little larger than her own, but it had been completely rearranged into a training room. Weapon racks and shelving units stacked with weights, ropes and grappling hooks lined the walls. There was a training dummy, too, and someone - most likely a certain bee - had drawn mustaches and a crooked grin over its face with a crayon. The middle of the room comprised a small boxing ring, where both she and Espio were currently standing. The mats under her feet felt much more elastic than the rest, as if made of polystyrene foam.

Espio was holding another blunted stick; he dexterously rotated it between his fingers before shifting into a fighting position. "Let's start with the basics: the stance. Hold your combat knife like this, right elbow bent, blade pointing to the head of your opponent. Your left forearm is your shield, raised to protect your head and ribs, or to seize the enemy's weapon should the occasion present itself."

Hazel nodded and tried to mimic his pose.

"Keep your body lower. Tighten your grip on the weapon."

The hedgehog corrected her stance. "Better?"

"Better. Now come at me."

"Just like… that?"

Espio nodded, serious and poised as ever. "You'll soon find that practice is an excellent teacher, much more effective than words. Come on, try to hit me."

"Err… okay."

After a little hesitation, Hazel charged, clumsily swinging the stick in the attempt to strike Espio's chest. He simply dodged to the side, grabbed her wrist and used her own momentum to spin her around and shove her away. Hazel stumbled and almost face-planted into the floor, only managing to retrieve her footing just in time.

"Faster, rookie."

Hazel tried to strike him again. This time, Espio used his own stick to parry the blow; as their training weapons were locked, he delivered a kick straight into Hazel's abdomen, and she collapsed backwards with a groan, holding her stomach with her free hand. Before she could bring herself up, Espio counterattacked. The hedgehog instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the hit, but all he did was gently tapping her forehead with the tip of the stick. She blinked.

"Your attacks are predictable" Espio commented. "Don't swing your weapon around like that, any unnecessary movement you make is a gift to your enemy. Let's try again."

He offered her a hand. She took it with a nod, and pulled herself up.

Before they could even begin another match, however, the roar of an explosion echoed in the distance, and the floor under their shoes shook violently. Weights, grappling hooks and smaller weapons bounced out of their shelves, rolling all around. Hazel fell on one knee and glanced out in alarm. Unsurprisingly, Espio was still on his feet, but a dark, circumspect look had fallen on his face.

"W-was it… an earthquake?" she stuttered.

"No. Worse."

After picking up an earpiece and a few kunai blades from the ground, Espio opened the window and leapt out. While in midair, he nimbly grabbed the rail of the fire escape and climbed up the metal stairway, his shoes barely touching the rust-eaten rungs as he jumped his way up to the rooftop.

"Whoa... wait!" Hazel dropped the stick and rushed after him. She suddenly slowed down as she realized just how _high_ the apartment was - the hovercars and hoverbuses that darted through the streets below didn't look larger than a hand. Hazel gulped and clutched the rail. Forcing herself not to look down, she started cautiously climbing after Espio.

When she caught up with him on the rooftop of the building, the ninja was staring off into the distance, wielding two kunai in each hand. Hazel followed his gaze and gasped audibly.

A few streets away from there, a strange bow-like contraption emerged from behind the roof of a warehouse. It took Hazel a few moments to realize it was a _tail_ : a colossal, curved tail ending with a stinger. Rows of steel spikes covered it, seemingly in its full length.

"W-w-what in the world…" she mumbled.

"That's one of Eggman's creations." Espio narrowed his eyes. "But this makes no sense, Redgate City belongs to the Empire. Eggman has no reason to attack it, unless..."

Another violent tremor shook the ground, followed by the echo of screams in the distance.

The ninja brought a hand to the side of his head, where he'd set the earpiece. "This is Espio. An imperial battlemech is assaulting Redgate City, heading towards Park Avenue. I request immediate assistance." He glanced at Hazel. "I'll go ahead, rookie, there's something I must do first. You stay out of trouble - bring as many civilians as you can to safety, but do _not_ engage the battlemech by any means, am I understood?"

Before she could reply, he vaulted over the edge of the rooftop and vanished from sight.

"H-hey!" Hazel let out an exasperated groan. "You must be kidding me!"

Still she turned to the fire escape, and climbed down as swiftly as possible.

#

Knuckles sped through the tangle of streets, dodging the flow of screaming, panicked civilians who rushed and scrambled in the opposite direction. The explosions seemed to grow louder at each stride, now. The echidna jumped over the crumpled wreck of an hovercar, and caught a glimpse of green; Vector was making his way through the crowd, loping towards him. The part-time bartender of the Nest and full-time Taskmaster of the Sphinx Unit gave him a thumbs-up. With a flash of telekinetic energy, Silver glided down and landed beside them. Knuckles exchanged a nod with the two Resistance agents, and the three of them moved forward together, side by side.

"So, what's with that oversized creepy-crawly?" asked Silver.

"Beats me!" The Commander grunted. "But we must stop it before it causes more trouble. And most of the Cerberus Unit are stationed in Seaside Hill… Dammit, we could use some big guns right now."

"Three squads from the Sphinx Unit are on their way" huffed Vector.

"The Siren Unit is sending in two hovercrafts, too, packed with Phoenix medics." Knuckles nodded. "Let's do th-"

" _Idiot!"_ A feminine voice cried into the Commander's earbud. _"Are you insane?! This was all a trap to draw you out, and you're falling for it!"_

"No sweat, Rouge. If Eggman wants me, then fine, he'll have a piece of me."

" _Ugh… You're impossible! Try not to do anything stupid, okay? I'll be there in five minutes!"_

"Rouge again? She sure sounds worried about you!" Vector teased him.

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "Knock it off, we have a giant killer robot to deal with."

Another powerful tremor shook the ground under their feet. They were getting closer.

The three of them hurtled around a corner and into an alley. And they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

A whole platoon of Peacemakers blocked their path, guns at the ready. In front of the robotic soldiers stood a cyborg, most of his body arrayed in kevlar; the weapon in his hands looked like a cross between a sword and a high-caliber rifle, blade and barrel fused together.

"Ah, Commander." He pointed the muzzle of the odd weapon towards Knuckles' chest. "I was expecting you. Although, I must admit - I didn't think you would have come to me this early, nor this easily."

"I know you." The echidna raised his gloved fists. "Ugly mug, check. Clankers, check. Entourage of tin cans, check. You're one of Eggman's flunkies… Vanadium, right?"

"Captain Vanadium, if you please."

Vanadium fired. The laser shot would have killed Knuckles there and then, if not for the barrier of telekinetic energy that promptly sprang into existence in front of him, intercepting the hit. Haloed in his azure aura, Silver dashed forward and charged straight at the captain. The collision caused the two of them to crash through the platoon of Peacemakers, destroying a few in the process.

"Hah, you've got this, Silver!" Vector flashed a grin and assaulted the closest Peacemaker, lifting it as if it was as light as a toy and spinning it above his head before throwing it at full force to its fellow robots. The unfortunate Peacemaker flew through the air and landed with a clatter on top of two others, downing them in one go.

Another Peacemaker lifted its gun, aiming at Vector's back, but Knuckles lunged at it and smashed its egg-shaped body with a single, well-packed punch. The echidna glanced around, searching for Silver and Vanadium with his gaze: the two of them were locked in a fierce fight, exchanging blow after blow, each clash accompanied by metallic screeches and flashes of cyan light. Suddenly, the white hedgehog disengaged and soared high. When he swooped down on his foe again, however, the captain was ready; he dodged to the side and swung his weapon, managing to viciously sink its edge into Silver's arm. Knuckles heard his friend yell in pain.

Enraged, the Commander demolished another Peacemaker and tried to make his way to the two duelers, but an array of laser beams darted in his direction and forced him to roll out of the way and duck behind the cover of a hovercar. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Vector grab a Peacemaker and use it as shield to intercept the shots of its robotic colleagues, throwing it aside as the lasers punctured through it.

Hot, incandescent anger simmered Knuckles' stomach. If Eggman wanted it that way, he would have got it.

The Commander leapt out of his cover and lunged at the Peacemakers.

#

From the opposite sides of the alley, Silver and Vanadium stared at each other. The hedgehog floated a few feet from the ground, clenching his blood-covered arm with his good hand. Rivulets of red trickled down his fur and dripped from his fingertips, staining the asphalt below. The cut had to be deep; pangs of searing pain ignited his muscles, as if the whole limb had caught on fire. Only through sheer determination did he manage to keep his cool and arrange his face into what he hoped was a resolute expression, although droplets of sweat were quickly starting to bead his forehead.

The captain of the Peacemakers was half-crouched on the dust, the rifle-sword drawn and speckled in crimson. Sparks flickered around his mechanical ear and the joint forming his left knee, where Silver had managed to land a few blows.

Both of them panted heavily, Silver in ragged breaths, Vanadium through rasping, metallic wheezes.

"You... I've seen those eyes before. Those eyes, and those powers." The kevlar-clad creature raised his weapon. "But that person is long dead. Who are you?"

Waves of cyan energy rippled the air around his opponent. "Silver the Hedgehog."

"Silver, hm... I've heard of you. The Emperor has been keeping a close eye on you, although not close enough it seems." Vanadium chuckled humorlessly. "Rumor goes you can control the Chaos Emeralds, much like those two other varmints. Shadow and Sonic were their names, correct?"

"Those _varmints_ sure wiped the floor with Eggman a bunch of times, didn't they?" Silver retorted.

"That was in the past, and the past is dead and buried. Just like your hedgehog friends." The captain snorted. "Now follow them to the next world, or bow down to the Emperor in this one. I don't care which option you pick. Your rebellious little shenanigans are over."

"Wanna see what else is over?"

With a flick of his good hand, Silver sent a spectral cyan wave towards Vanadium, which the captain evaded by jumping and flipping backwards, his shoes meeting the wall behind him; he kicked at it at full strength and sprang forward, lunging at Silver, ready to stab him in midair with his rifle-sword. The white hedgehog dodged just in time. His counterattack came in the form of a roundhouse kick, that hit the back of Vanadium's head with a satisfying _smack!_ and sent him plummet into the street below.

The impact should have sufficed to knock out most foes, but after a moment Vanadium simply stood up again and dusted off his kevlar spikes. He then turned to glare up at Silver.

"Execution it is, then."

#

Less than two blocks from there, Hazel ran her heart out, rushing out of the last crossroad and coming to an halt when she reached Park Avenue. Or what remained of it: holes and craters marred the boulevard, large chunks of asphalt protruding here and there. Despite the name, very little of the original 'Park' could still be seen. Ever since the Empire had claimed Redgate City, the gardens once gracing the midtown had been extirpated in favor of more foundries and power plants - which explained why so many emergency sirens were howling all around.

But where was the thing…?

Hazel glanced to the side. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air. It was just a little waft, for the moment, but it sufficed to sting her nostrils and make her head spin. Smoke…

 _Smoke._

 _Screams._

 _Tourmaline Town turned into a pyre._

 _Laughter… that cold, deep laugh._

 _And the flames, the flames, the-!_

She clenched her head, whimpering.

Then - _THUD! -_ a giant pillar of metal came crashing down on the other side of the boulevard, just a few yards away from her. Hazel snapped back to reality with a startle. That was when she realized it wasn't a pillar, but a _leg_.

 _THUD!_

A colossal scorpion-shaped battlemech was indolently crawling across the Avenue, one slow step after the other. Its massive shell could barely fit through the street, casually tearing down balconies and bits of rooftops at its passage. Shingles, tiles and chips of metal rained down all around it, to the point Hazel had to shield her head with her arms and scurry away when the arched tail - covered in spikes and complemented by a vicious-looking stinger - swung around like a flail and hit the terrace over her. With a loud wham, a chunk of parapet heavily plummeted down right on the spot she'd just moved from.

Blinded by panic, Hazel dove behind an abandoned hovercar and curled up behind it. By some miracle, the scorpion battlemech hadn't detected her. Shaking uncontrollably, she stuck her head out, just enough to peer up at the robotic colossus. What she saw wasn't pretty. Steely barbs jutted out from the legs of the machine, all the way up to the enormous metal plates that locked together to form its carapace. From that angle she couldn't take a good look at the front of the scorpion, but from what little she could grasp, one of the mechanical pincers had clutched another hovercar and was slowly crushing it as if it weren't any tougher than a soup can.

Clanking and screeching loudly, the crumbled, disfigured wreck of the vehicle dropped to the ground mere moments afterwards. _One, piece, at, a, time._

Hazel stared in silence for a few moments.

Yeah, no, she was out of here.

She took a step back, but her legs had turned to jelly and she fell on her knees, trembling. Tears of pure, unbridled panic began pricking her eyes. Her brain vaguely registered the sound of screaming in between the thuds and the sirens, somewhere nearby. Help, she needed to get help…

But Hazel was part of the Resistance. _She_ was the help.

Out of the blue, a memory struck her mind. Hazel couldn't have been older than seven years old. She had been sparring with her father, wooden sword against wooden sword, and he'd just knocked her out of her feet. The little hedgehog girl had collapsed to the ground, once again on her knees, once again pathetically shaking, eyes watering up… She remembered the bruises speckling her skin, the impatience and exasperation in her father's voice as he commanded: "On your feet, Hazel…"

She clenched her fists.

 _On your feet, Hazel._

 _Dad_ … In a swift gesture, Hazel dried her eyes and forced herself to stand up. The scorpion battlemech was still slowly crawling along the boulevard; one of its massive legs came down with a loud _CRASH!_ , destroying an hoverbus shelter. Fragments of steel and plexiglass bursted out at the impact.

Breathing slowly and deeply to try to calm down, Hazel scanned her surroundings. She had to focus. Espio had told her not to engage the robot, and to keep an eye out for civilians… The hedgehog couldn't see anyone, but the screams seemed to come from behind a large pile of rubble, right beside the shelter that the battlemech had just stomped upon. Trouble was, the sensors of the scorpion had apparently reached the same conclusion, because the robotic monster drew back one of its pincers and then lashed out, pulverizing a large portion of the rubble in a single powerful strike. A cloud of dust rose in the air, and the screams grew even shriller.

Now exposed, the family of birds - a mother and her three kids - huddled together, terror on their faces as they desperately clung to each other. Confused, Hazel briefly wondered why they weren't running away... Her heart gave a horrible jolt when she realized that the youngest of the chicks was stuck, one leg trapped under the debris.

Before even realizing what she was doing, Hazel leapt out of her cover and broke into a sprint, running toward the family, but she wasn't even halfway there when the battlemech withdrew its pincher again, charging the strike that would have killed the birds…

"Hey!" Hazel shouted out at the top of her lungs. Without thinking, without slowing down, she swiftly collected a broken shingle from the ground and threw it at the closest leg of the scorpion. "Hey you, you walking scrap pile! I'm right here!"

The shingle flew through the air and hit the target.

It harmlessly bounced off, not a scratch on the metal overlay.

The battlemech however froze. So did Hazel.

That was when she realized how _big_ of a mistake she'd just made.

The scorpion tail started twitching. The stinger opened up and immediately released an array of missiles, which soared up in the air and then abruptly diverted their trajectory, aiming straight for the hedgehog.

"Oh for…!"

Hazel staggered backwards, then turned tail and sprinted in the opposite direction. Heart pounding, she spotted the hovercar she'd previously used as cover and leapt beyond it. The first homing missiles however hit it in full; a loud bang rang through her ears, and Hazel winced as the car skidded along the boulevard, charred and overturned, missing her for an inch.

Espio, Knuckles, Vector, the Resistance, just where was everyone?!

She didn't have the time to catch her breath. More homing missiles were on their way, and the battlemech was preparing to attack the family again…

A distant hiss reached Hazel's ears, so low she thought she'd imagined it. Then one of the homing missiles detonated in midair, apparently by itself. The remaining three missiles met a similar fate. Dumbfounded, Hazel stopped running and looked around. For a moment, she could swear she'd seen someone standing on one of the few intact rooftops, holding something shimmering in their hands; but when she tried to take a closer look, there was nobody there. _What the…?_

In the meanwhile, an explosion resounded ahead, and the scorpion battlemech let out a blood-curdling screech. Almost surgically severed, its left pincher dropped to the ground. Two purple figures vaulted high above the scorpion's form and landed on the top of its carapace: Espio was wielding his kunai, Sayuri a pair of sai. A flash of black and yellow hit the remaining pincher, leaving a deep dent on it; the battlemech tried to smack the new opponent away, but Charmy just swirled around the claw and flew off to a safe distance. Weapons at the ready, other Resistance agents dove into the Avenue: one, two, five, a dozen.

Feeling as if a dead weight had been lifted from her stomach, Hazel hurried toward the family of birds, dodging the scorpion's legs as she drew nearer. The mother was trying to shield her chicks from the falling debris with her own body, also striving to extract her son at the same time. The trapped kid cried and whimpered, tears of terror and pain streaming down his dust-stained face, while his siblings desperately clawed at the heap of rubble in the attempt to free him.

"Come on!" Hazel dropped on one knee beside the mother bird and hastily began digging.

Those were the longest minutes of the hedgehog's life, pushing and shifting the debris alongside the birds, praying with every fiber of her soul not to be pulverised by the enraged battlemech right behind her back. A couple of times, a twitching leg crashed down dangerously close, causing her to wince, but her attention remained fixated on the rubble in front of her and the little boy whimpering by her side. She dug and dug until her gloves turned blackened, then ragged...

At last, after what felt like eternity, Hazel slid her arms under the crying kid's armpits and delicately managed to pull him out of the rubble. His left leg looked badly bruised, likely broken, but he was alive.

"Skylar, thank goodness!" The mother bird cried, embracing her son tightly. She looked at Hazel and cast her a radiant, grateful smile, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you so much!"

The hedgehog gave her a small, exhausted smile in return and took a step back, watching as the two other kids cheered and joined the family hug. Well, that was sweet, she thought wearily. At least the kid was safe.

She didn't see the battlemech's attack coming.

Swinging wildly around, the scorpion tail hit the building beside Hazel and the birds. Out of the corner of her eye, the hedgehog saw the debris come down, and instinctively threw herself over the closest kid, the injured one, sheltering him with her own body.

Hazel didn't quite realize what happened next. All she felt was an explosion of pain in the back of her head, then her vision turned black.

#

Vanadium drew his weapon back and prepared to leap toward Silver, but something caught his eye: a shadow looming high above him. The small, arrow-shaped hovercraft over his head didn't sport the imperial crimson, but a shade of vibrant magenta, emblazoned with black-bordered hearts… as well as two gun turrets, one of each side, which rotated to lock aim on him.

Forged through years of harshest practice, Vanadium's reflexes kicked in and saved his life; a split second afterwards, the spot he had been standing on was getting raked with a volley of shots, and the captain was running at full speed along the street. Without slowing down his pace, he lifted his hybrid sniper-sword. The weapon clicked as the gun barrel slid over the blade and it shifted fully into a bolt-action rifle. Vanadium fired thrice, destroying one of the turrets. A small victory, but a costly one. The surviving turret swiftly returned the favor: the next shot hit his mechanical arm and ripped it off, narrowly missing his chest. The kevlar limb skidded on the asphalt, scattering drizzles of oil all around.

This was bad. Since when the filthy rebels had battle hovercrafts?

"Peacemakers, attack the...!"

Vanadium glanced behind his shoulder, only to see the few Peacemakers still on their feet collapse as a rain of turret shots spattered them. Cursing through his teeth, he climbed up the closest building in three huge jumps, nimbly landing on its rooftop. He was now at the same eye level as the hovercraft pilot. Through the transparent enclosure of the cockpit, he could clearly see it was a bat woman in a dark suit. She looked up in faint surprise, and for a moment their gazes met through the layer of plexiglass.

A mad, vindictive light gleefully flashed through Vanadium's eyes.

He took a running jump and leapt on the canopy of the hovercraft. At the impact, the airborne vehicle - built more for speed than for endurance - swayed dangerously, threatening to crash against the buildings below. Vanadium didn't care, nor he truly pondered the possibility. If he couldn't kill the Commander, then he would have butchered this Resistance trash, and made sure the echidna watched. At the perspective of a fresh kill, a thrill of excitement surged through him.

Wielding his weapon with one hand only, he pointed its barrel at the hovercraft and began firing wildly, carelessly. Two propellers exploded, the rudder burst out. A waft of smoke filled the air, filling him with exhilaration. The reinforced plexiglass protecting the pilot's cockpit was obnoxiously resilient, but cracks were beginning to spread all over it, just a few moments longer and...

"Rouge!"

Vanadium suddenly felt as if a massive, invisible hand had seized him, squeezing the air out of his lungs and immobilizing him in an iron grip. Ripples of cyan energy danced around his frozen form. Slowly, strenuously, the captain somehow managed to turn his head: Silver floated in front of the hovercraft, one hand outstretched toward the Peacemakers' captain. With a spark of venomous satisfaction, Vanadium noticed the hedgehog was shaking, blood freely trickling down his other arm.

Silver's expression was pained but determined. Mustering every last bit of strength he still possessed, he telekinetically hurled Vanadium away from the hovercraft, sending the one-armed cyborg to disastrously crash onto the rooftop of a building.

The action seemed to drain him of what little energy he still possessed. The ethereal ripples vanished into nothingness, and the hedgehog plunged down in a blur of white and red, on the brink of unconsciousness…

At least until Knuckles caught him in midair, interrupting the fall.

#

One hundred lights flickered hysterically all around the cockpit. It took Rouge several moments to stabilize Temptation, her two-seat hovercraft, just enough to perform a safe landing on a nearby rooftop, fortunately wide and flat enough to host the machine. Plumes of smoke came out from at least half a dozen spots, but nothing looked unrepairable.

With a sigh, Rouge leant back against her seat. That was a close call, she thought, gazing down at Knuckles through the now cracked cover of plexiglass protecting the cockpit. Several feets below, the Commander had laid Silver down on the bullet-punctured street, and was now gently shaking him by the shoulders. Vector tossed away the remnants of a Peacemaker and reached them, kneeling beside his wounded companion. Knuckles muttered something, to which the crocodile eagerly nodded.

Although she couldn't read his expression from that altitude, Rouge was sure Knuckles was worried sick. Under his tough exterior, the guardian of the Master Emerald was ferociously loyal to his friends, even more than to his cause; and that was something not even the atrocities of the Empire could ever take away from him.

The bat woman was surprised to feel a warm rush of affection for him. She immediately fought it back, shaking her head. That damn echidna and his stubbornness… What was he thinking? Why couldn't he just follow her advice, just for once? One day he would have been the death of her.

Rouge tore her gaze away from the trio to look up at the rooftop the Peacemakers' captain had crashed on, sure to find him passed out somewhere, if not dead. Even when weakened, Silver's telekinetic powers were still tremendous, enough to thrash perfectly functional robots, let alone a single, severely injured cyborg.

But the rooftop was empty.

She blinked, and double-checked. But there was no doubt - Vanadium had disappeared.

A static buzz hemmed through her earphone, then a hoarse, distorted voice spoke up: _"What's the status of the Commander?"_

"Alive and well, chief" Rouge replied into the mic. "You were right, the attack on the city was just a bait to lure him out." Her eyes swept through the rooftops again, to no use. "But the captain of the Peacemakers has got away."

" _We'll deal with him later. Focus on the task at hand, the Commander's survival is your top priority."_

"Of course. But what of the battlemech?"

" _The Resistance and us are taking care of it."_

Rouge exhaled slowly. "Alright. Any casualties over there?"

" _Two Resistance soldiers and five civilians are confirmed dead. Plus several wounded. Three of our agents, at least twenty-three civilians, seven Resistance soldiers… ah, eight."_ The voice went quiet for a few seconds, falling into a pensive silence. _"It looks like the Resistance got themselves some fresh meat. A female hedgehog, brown quills, around sixteen or seventeen years old. Does it ring any bell?"_

"No. She must be a newbie."

" _Keep an eye out for her, won't you? Kid has guts. As well as a remarkable penchant for stupidity."_ A bitter chuckle. _"The kind of person who either dies in their first battle, or makes their way to the top. I wonder how she'll fare next time, without me watching her back."_

"Mmm." Frankly, Rouge couldn't give a damn about some kid who'd happened to catch her chief's attention. She was more concerned about the cyborg psycho who'd escaped right under her nose and was now roaming freely around Redgate City. Perhaps she was still in time to hunt him down… But she didn't want to lose sight of Knuckles now, not when he was walking around with a bullseye on his forehead. Not to mention, Rouge had no idea how to bring Temptation back to the base in those conditions.

A fortuitous solution was presented to her as two much larger Resistance hovercrafts, the Untouchable and the Blue Star, came into sight and glided toward the heart of the battle. "Anyway, I'll be going."

" _I'll contact you later. Oh, and another thing."_

"Yes, chief?"

" _Good job, Rouge."_

Rouge perked her eyebrow, but her chief hung up before she could reply.

"Old weirdo…" she muttered under her breath, but as she climbed out of her hovercraft, a lopsided little smile graced her lips.

#

The scorpion battlemech wavered heavily, its legs beginning to give away. A particularly bold attack, courtesy of Charmy, had shattered the metal joints of the tail, causing a large chunk of it - included the rocket launcher-sting - to drop down and join the pincer of the ground. Park Avenue was strewn with rubble, bricks and wrecks of hovercars, the asphalt a spiderweb of cracks and fissures.

Out of the corner of his eye, Espio saw the Untouchable and the Blue Star land nearby. Good, the Siren and the Phoenix Units were here. The ninja nimbly slid down the carapace and toward the bulging quartz optics protruding from the head of the machine. As he did so, he noticed a flash of green: a male hawk perched himself upon the mechanical palp of the scorpion, in perfect balance despite the tremors violently shaking the battlemech. Espio narrowed his gaze, recognizing him, but the hawk just cracked him a grin and threw something in his direction: "Catch, lizard!"

The ninja pivoted on himself and infallibly grabbed the object in midair: round, metallic, about the size of an orange. He didn't need to think twice.

"Charmy!" he called out.

"I'm here!" In a moment, the bee was above him.

Espio removed the safety pin from the hawk's hand bomb and threw it to the head of the battlemech, then jumped up. His gloved hands promptly found Charmy's, and the two Chaotix agents flew off just in time as the small bomb detonated behind them.

That was the coup de grâce. At last, the heavily damaged battlemech came crashing down with a deafening _CLANK!_ , whamming a crater into the boulevard and lifting a cloud of dust.

For a moment, silence fell on Park Avenue.

Then the cheering exploded, both on the rooftops and the streets. Still clutching Charmy, Espio watched Resistance agents raise their fists to the sky, laugh, hurry to help each other up. Coordinated by Cream, medics and nurses from the Phoenix Unit emerged from the hovercrafts and rushed to the injured, tending to rebels and civilians alike. There were several: a bear clutching his blood-stained shoulder, a dog with a sprained ankle, an albatross kid with a broken leg surrounded by who Espio guessed were his mother and siblings... and a hazel brown-furred hedgehog, covered in blood and bruises, who was currently getting set upon a gurney by a Phoenix nurse.

Espio's pupils widened. "The recruit!"

"Hazel!" Charmy exclaimed.

The bee glided closer to the ground. Espio let go of him, bending his legs to soften the impact as he landed with an elegant roll.

Cream was perched upon one of the wings of the Untouchable. It was quite the odd sight, the minuscule bunny girl issuing her orders in a polite, serious voice - but even odder was the readiness with which the Phoenixes obeyed to her every directive.

"Mister Indigo, please gather your squad and check the crossroad. Miss Honey, same, but with the power plant… that awful robot collapsed its entrance, there might be someone stuck in there. Ah, good job, mister Big, please get that poor miss into the Untouchable, I'll be there in a minute." Cream noticed Espio and Charmy and gave them a small wave, smiling softly. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, but what about Hazel?" Charmy asked worriedly, watching as a large blue cat hoisted Hazel's gurney onto the Untouchable. "She'll be fine, right?"

"Miss Hazel got hit in the head pretty hard, but she should be alright."

Moments afterwards, Knuckles and Vector approached, the latter carrying Silver in his arms. The white hedgehog looked awfully wan; blood oozed from a deep gash on his arm.

"Who did this to mister Silver…? Inside the Untouchable, hurry" Cream said authoritatively. "Commander, mister Vector, if you please..."

Espio turned around. "Let's go, Charmy, our job isn't over here."

"But Hazel… and Silver, too!"

"You can visit them later."

Charmy cast one last glance at the med hovercraft, then he half-heartedly followed the ninja. As they walked through the devastated Park Avenue, Espio couldn't help but feel watched. He quickly peered behind his shoulder: for a moment, he caught sight of the green hawk, perched upon a rooftop alongside someone dressed in black, but both of them seemed to disappear a split second later, like mirages. He could have sworn the hawk was grinning at him.

"What a mess…" Charmy, who hadn't noticed anything, pivoted on himself to look around. "It will take ages to clean this up."

"Mhm." Espio focused his attention back to the ruins of the boulevard and the remnants of the colossal battlemech. "Whatever. Let's get the survivors to safety."

#

"It's all my fault" Vector mumbled for the third time in five minutes, guilt evident in his tone. "She's my mentoree after all! I should have been there for her. What if she dies?"

"She _won't_ die, Vector" Knuckles replied.

"But what if she _does_?"

The two of them, alongside Silver, were in one of the rear compartments of the Untouchable. Cream had worked some of her first-aid kit magic, promptly disinfecting and bandaging the deep gash on the white hedgehog's arm. Knuckles and Vector had refused any assistance, since they'd only come away with minor bruises; and with all the Resistance agents and civilians who were wounded in the frenzied scorpion's attack, the two veterans had no wish to burden the Phoenixes, not when the medical Unit had their hands full already.

Knuckles, Silver and Vector now rested on their seats. Hazel lay on a cot in front of them, tightly fastened to the metal plank in order not to be thrown off by the frequent jolts that shook the hovercraft. Plasters and bandages wrapped all around her head, the rookie was still out cold, although every now and then her lips parted to mutter something unintelligible.

"I still cannot believe Eggman set that freak loose inside an imperial city!" Silver wearily shook his head. He was still much paler than usual. "Seriously, what was he thinking? He could have massacred his own citizens!"

"He did. There were civilians among the victims." Knuckles grunted. "According to Rouge, it was a trap to lure us out. That's a cheap shot, even for Eggman's standards."

"It's all rather weird, though" Vector commented. "I mean, think about it: Eggman spends way too much time and efforts trying to build up his reputation as a tough-but-protective big wig. Why would he risk to ruin that image by attacking the civilians under his supposed protection? What he wants is people's obedience, not their panic. There's something fishy there, I tell you." He mumbled darkly. "And that tin guy was definitely involved."

"Either Vanadium or Infinite are always involved, when things get messy." Knuckles scowled.

"Isn't Vanadium the same guy who gave you troubles, back during your little expedition to Westopolis?" Vector asked.

"Yeah." A grimace twisted the Commander's mouth. "He's tough, reckless, and he just doesn't know when to give up. To top it off, he's completely insane and _loathes_ anything possessing more than three natural organs. I recall him blabbering about the supremacy of machines and how 'fleshbags' were only good as cannon fodder."

"So Eggman not only hired someone who hates organics, but he also put him in full charge of the imperial suppression corps." The crocodile scratched his head. "Does anyone else see a problem here?"

"Guess he's good at his job after all" Knuckles muttered. "Most people are afraid to mess with the Peacemakers."

Silence fell among the three of them for a minute. Then Knuckles spoke again.

"Regardless - Eggman must have already set his sights on Redgate, by now, and after today I wouldn't be surprised to see him tear the city down brick by brick to find us."

On the verge of exhaustion and made dizzy by the painkillers, Silver closed his eyes. "What are you gonna do, then?"

"The usual stuff. I'll move somewhere quieter, show my face around for a while, make some noise. Hopefully Eggman will come after me, and leave you guys alone. Don't worry, though, I'll keep in touch."

All of a sudden, Hazel's hand twitched, her eyelids quivering faintly.

"Rookie?" Knuckles asked, a note of concern to his voice. "You okay?"

"A... are you proud of me, dad?" she stuttered groggily, then went limp and silent again, her chest heaving.

Knuckles exchanged a look with Silver and Vector, then shrugged. "The kid sure had a rough day. At least now she truly knows what she's up against."

"Blaze is right" Silver mumbled. "Ignorance really _is_ bliss, sometimes."

"What matters is that we won" Knuckles replied resolutely. "And as far as we know, we might have saved the city. It's true, war isn't over, but this one battle is. Today we kicked that mech's ass, tomorrow we'll kick Eggman's."

Vector's teeth flashed in a broad smile, and even Silver managed to crack a drowsy grin. Knuckles grinned back, and as he looked at his friends and companions, he couldn't help but feel a warm rush of hope. No matter how desperate the situation was, he would have never been alone, not anymore. His Resistance - no, his friends - were by his side; Knuckles would have rid their world of the Empire and led them to a new home, or died trying.

As his gaze returned to Hazel, however, his expression turned somber. For some reason, her words had stirred something inside of him, something rusty and carefully concealed, but still sore and unforgotten. Something that, after four years, still made his blood boil with anger and grief.

 _Are you proud of me, Sonic?_

* * *

Hallo, cupcakes!

Okay, this chapter was super hard to write. And it ended up being huge too, much longer than planned! Holy crap, it's longer than the first two chapters combined. But we get to see some action! Yay! The next chapter is probably gonna be pretty big too, so please be patient if it'll take a while for it to come up.

So I've been wondering who Rouge, Shadow and Omega exactly work for, in SF and Episode Shadow. G.U.N. maybe? Regardless, I wanted to try to give my own answer to that. The beauty of fan fictions!

A battlemech-sized puffin plushie to **Steel Fairy** , **Dragonfire719, CherryPuffball** and mystery **Guest** for the reviews, you guys are 110% love. And you make me blush too! /tosses hearts at/

You make a good point, Guest, locking a speed-loving hedgehog can work as torture too. But I guess I expected something different judging by the angry/horrified reactions of his friends. What really bothers me is that he shrugs off those months of torture no problem, and they're never mentioned again, while this could have made for an amazing development point for Sonic's character. Imagine having to deal with a temporarily crippled Sonic, who eventually learns to overcome his doubts thanks to the Avatar guy, or who's given a solid reason to _hate_ Eggman on a personal level for once. I don't know, I feel it was wasted potential. /rambles/

Shoutout to all these cool cupcakes here:

Steel Fairy

Dragonfire719

CherryPuffball

Burning Delphox

Canela67

CarlaRadames025670

EnigmaZZ

EnigmaticMind2016

Lucina Moonlight

RandomUser001

Rowan Jacobs

Shark The SnowWolf

Tailsimp

The Great Valley Guardian

ales1698

ddzudi

eggers

Mage of Hope

XDawnKnight

I hope you enjoyed the read!

Syrence, out~! /vanishes into the night/


	5. Baptism by Fire

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **5**

 **Baptism by Fire**

A few weeks passed since the battle of Park Avenue.

Hazel was recovering fairly well, although she couldn't recall much of the aftermath. The last thing she clearly remembered was digging into the debris to free the bird kid - then the sensation she'd been hit over the head with a giant saucepan, then darkness. She'd come back to her senses in the safety of the Phoenix wing, within the HQ, and she'd been surprised to find Vector and Charmy at her bedsit. Needless to say, the Taskmaster crocodile had made sure to _thoroughly_ tell her off for getting that close to the scorpion mech against orders; but for the whole duration of that half-an-hour-long lecture, even through the veil of dizziness clouding her head Hazel could distinctively sense the concern and relief of the Taskmaster. A nebulous feeling of warmth had filled her chest. Vector and Charmy were worried about her.

Of course they were, whispered a bitter voice within her head, because they considered her a stick in the mud and a burden under their responsibility.

Or maybe because they cared about her safety, just like she cared about theirs, objected another, softer voice.

Hazel wasn't sure, but she cherished that feeling nonetheless. The days of crushing loneliness were gone. For the first time in forever, she could think she had friends.

#

It was a lazy morning, at the Hornets' Nest. Aside a couple of wan-looking cats who'd disappeared as soon as they had their coffee, no other customer had shown up. Determined to make herself useful in any way she could, Hazel decided to dust off her practiced skills as cleaner to turn the decaying, ill-smelling pub into a slightly more dignified place; and she was in the middle of a struggle against a particularly stubborn stain of dirt that had claimed the counter as its new dominion, when the door opened and Silver came in.

"Hey, Hazel." He smiled.

"Silver." She gave him a shy smile back. "How's your arm?"

"As good as new." He flexed it as demonstration: a large, ugly scar still marred his skin, but it didn't seem to hurt. The psychokinetic hedgehog made his way to the counter and seated himself on one of the rickety stools. Temporarily surrendering her fight against the dirt, Hazel turned her full attention to Silver, and found herself staring at the halo of dusty light playing around his quills.

"Are Vector and Sayuri around?"

Blushing furiously, Hazel snapped back to reality. "Oh, um, yeah, just… in the back." She faintly inclined her head toward the secret passage hidden in the wall.

Silver nodded in understanding. "Gotcha. Can I have a cappuccino, please?"

"Sure."

As Hazel bent down to collect a cup, Silver glanced around the Nest. Once completely sure nobody was in earshot, he leant forward and whispered: "The Commander has a mission for you."

The cup almost slipped from Hazel's hands.

"Don't worry" he hastily added. "I'll be right there, watching your back."

She somehow managed to set the cup into the coffee machine without further damage. "O... okay. So, what are we doing?"

"We fight." Silver's smile vanished, replaced by a serious look. "Seaside Hill is under attack. Blaze and the Cerberus Unit are standing their ground, for the moment, but there's just no end to Eggman's forces. They already razed a village to the ground, and now they're preparing to launch an attack on Dolphin Resort."

"Isn't the Resort part of the Empire?"

"Not for long. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to win it back from Eggman soon. Most islanders are on our side, and ready to riot. Problem is, Eggman knows that all too well, and you can be damn sure he'll do anything in his power to stop us." Silver thoughtfully furrowed his brow. "According to the Sphinxes, he also has a bunch of submarine factories built all over the island. He's not gonna give them up that easily."

"So... is that it? We get to the island and just... shoot down every robot in sight?"

The cappuccino was ready. Hazel held it out, hoping the male wouldn't have noticed her hands were slightly shaking.

"Thanks." Silver poured a generous dose of sugar into the cup. "That's part of the plan, but there's more to it. Espio also reported that one of Eggman's cronies is holding some islanders hostage, and he's threatening to kill them if the Commander of the Resistance doesn't turn himself in in three days. Knuckles is fuming, of course."

"But if we attack… Won't we endanger those hostages' lives anyway?"

Silver's expression turned grim. "Yeah, but we don't have a choice. If this were up to Knuckles, he'd throw himself in Eggman's arms just to protect the Resistance and those islanders, but it's not that easy. To begin with, if he did that the Resistance would be over, and everyone's hopes along with it. There's also a chance that Eggman's crony won't keep his word. I wouldn't put it past the Empire to get rid of the hostages anyway, regardless if our friend turns himself in or not." He took a sip from the cup. "Blaze and her men will defend Dolphin Resort, but they need someone to back them up and rescue those islanders while they keep Eggman's forces busy. That's where we step in."

"Oh… B-but…"

Silver gave her a sympathizing look. "In regular circumstances we wouldn't allow a recruit to join this kind of mission, but our numbers are spread thin. Still, no need to worry, you're not alone in this. I told you, I'll be watching your back."

Hazel nodded, but she remained doubtful.

Silver smiled. "Hey, just have some faith in yourself. You'll do fine. _We'_ ll do fine."

"If you say so." The female sighed. "When are we leaving?"

"Tonight."

 _So soon!_

She nervously fiddled with the zipper of her coat. "Oh, um, cool. Shall we, er, go by hovercraft or...?"

"No, it'd be too dangerous. Eggman has stuffed Seaside Hill with anti-aircraft guns. Just meet me at the city docks at midnight, okay?"

"That's…"

The door of the bar clicked open.

"... wonderful! That's what it is" Hazel improvised in a cheery tone as a painfully thin otter dragged herself to the counter. "I can't wait to hear more of Metal Amy's new album. She's totally the best singer of the Empire… er, as well as the only one."

"A Capital Sling, lass" the otter muttered, tiredly plopping down on the stool next to Silver's. "And don't scrimp on the rum."

"Incoming, miss!"

Hazel briefly met Silver's eyes.

" _Tonight_ " he mouthed, before finishing the cappuccino with one big sip and leaving. Hazel followed him with her gaze. All of a sudden, the pub seemed to turn gloomier.

"Metal Amy, uh…" The otter indolently drummed her fingers on the counter. She looked quite young, perhaps in her late twenties, but untimely wrinkles were already visible on her forehead; her heavy-lidded eyes were bloodshot, surrounded by dark shadows. "I hate her with a passion, that bloody iron wench, but what she said yesterday was admittedly quite interesting. Damn me, _fifty-thousand_ rings…"

"Oh?" Hazel began arranging the cocktail, trying to remember what Metal Amy had chirped about on the previous night. She barely paid attention to the robotic idol, as of lately in particular. "That's a lot of money. What for?"

"Haven't you heard? Fifty thousand rings if anyone captures the Commander of the Resistance, dead or alive."

The hedgehog froze for a moment, but quickly resumed mixing the alcohol before the otter could notice it. "Ah, yes, that guy… Wasn't it _five_ thousand rings?"

"Yep... until yesterday. He must have seriously pissed the Emperor off."

To Hazel's horror, the otter didn't sound concerned. Quite the opposite, as she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, the gloomy look on her face turned ravenous, her shadow-circled eyes gleaming with hunger. With fifty thousand rings in their pocket, the poorest of the imperial citizens could live the life of royalty; and Hazel had the feeling that the gaunt, miserable otter before her knew a lot about being poor.

"Hmm..." The hedgehog dithered, painfully aware she was walking on eggshells. "Whatever. The Emperor is paying too much attention to the rebels, if you ask me. They're just a bunch of hotheads, annoying maybe, but surely not dangerous. I'm more worried about everything that happened in the last weeks… The whole accident with Park Avenue, for example."

"You call it _accident_? That was the work of a psycho. Bloody awful... more than that, outrageous." The indignation in the otter's tone comforted Hazel, at least until the woman pressed on: "I can't believe the Resistance attacked the city and killed eight people like that, just to spite the Emperor. 'Surely not dangerous', you say? They're all deranged, I tell you. Unfortunate that the captain of the Peacemakers had to release that experimental battlemech… but I guess he had no other means to fight off those maniacs before they could do even more damage."

Hazel was speechless. "W... What? That's not how it wen- I mean, that's not what I heard at all!"

"Then you heard wrong. Look, the Emperor's regime ain't flawless, but trust me, lass, I feel much safer knowing those bloody rebels are finally getting what they deserve." The otter spat out. "Filthy outlaws, warmongers and murderers, that's what they are. Captain Vanadium was so brave, taking them on like that. I wish the Empire could just crush them all into a pulp and get it over with."

The hedgehog couldn't do anything but fake a smile and agree, but as she slid the cocktail along the counter, a nasty sensation twisted her stomach. The agents of the Resistance risked their lives daily to protect these people, regardless if the civilians supported them or not; some soldiers were even killed during the attack of the scorpion battlemech… And this was all they got in return? Scorn and lies?

As she watched the otter guzzle down her beverage, Hazel tried to consider how malnourished, how desperate the woman looked. But for the first time in her life, within herself she couldn't find any trace of empathy nor understanding. Nothing at all.

#

The city docks were deserted, that night. Unsurprisingly so, since the imperial cargo ships only sailed during the day. Hazel scanned around, searching for any suspicious-looking boat, but nothing looked out of the ordinary; just rows and rows of red-painted ships moored to the jetties and orderly aligned next to one other, Eggman's logo grinning on each of them. Ink-colored waves purred softly as they hugged the concrete docks. Another normal night at the Redgate Quay.

At least until a gloved hand brushed Hazel's shoulder, startling her.

"Shh, it's me."

"What the heck, Silver! Couldn't you just... call me, or beckon to me or something?"

Stifling a chuckle, Silver led Hazel through the maze of cargoes and containers interweaving around the port, all the way to a seemingly empty dock. In the dark of the night, the water surface looked like black oil… But, wasn't there something there? A shadow, blacker than black...

"What the...?"

Hazel stared, mouth agape, as the submersible slowly emerged from the waters. A sliding panel rustled open on its ceiling and revealed a ladder, seemingly heading straight into the heart of the machine.

Silver grinned at the look on her face. "Ladies first."

Swallowing, Hazel gripped the top of the ladder and climbed down into the darkness. The submersible was small, about the size of an hovervan. She carefully groped her way to the main cabin, which was located at the front and - from what little she could see - hosted three padded seats, surrounded by an array of radars, switches and buttons. Her attention was quickly grasped by what lay beyond them: a dome-shaped screen, completely transparent, overlooking the pitch blackness of the sea. Hazel blinked, in awe. It was like staring out into an abyss from the inside of a bubble.

"So _you_ are the newbie."

The hedgehog gave a start. She hadn't noticed the bat girl sensually leant back against the middle seat. Even in the dim light, Hazel didn't miss the pearly appearance of the bat's fur, nor the glint of mischievousness in her aquamarine eyes as she looked Hazel up and down. The girl's skin-tight attire accentuated all the right things in all the right places; and Hazel, cheeks burning, suddenly felt very aware of how insignificant and _flat_ she must have looked, in comparison.

"Rouge, Hazel; Hazel, Rouge" Silver curtly introduced them, slipping into one of the seats. Hazel smiled hesitatingly, Rouge smirked. "Our stuff is in the back, Hazel, we'll get it later. You two ready?"

"Um, sure."

"Ready when you are, silver boy."

Hazel eased herself down the last seat. As soon as she did so, two belts automatically slid out from the backrest and formed a protective X over her torso. Beside her, Rouge pulled various levers and firmly placed a hand on what Hazel guessed was the helm. All around the cabin, radars and monitors flickered and beeped softly; moments later, the engine of the submersible hummed to life and the machine dived deeper into the darkness, moving as fluently as any water creature. Rouge steered it expertly, leading it out of the quay and toward the kernel of the sea. In the pale circle now cast by the flashlight, Hazel caught glimpses of the algae dotting the seafloor, then of a shoal of parrot fish that zipped past the submersible and disappeared into their liquid world of black and spectral green.

"Whoa…" she whispered breathlessly.

"Not bad, right?" Silver grinned. "Welcome aboard the Sea Fox, the flagship of Tails' underwater creations."

"Tails…" That was a name Hazel hadn't heard in a long while. "The genius mechanic and inventor... He was part of the Resistance?"

"Yeah, of course. He used to spearhead the Resistance alongside Knuckles and Amy." His smile faded. "I never got to know him well, but he was the mastermind behind most of our cleverest strategies, as well as the Taskmaster of the Siren Unit."

"What happened to him?"

"Eggman happened" Rouge indolently replied, eyes fixated on the monitors. "Tails has never been the same since Sonic died. Over time, he started to lose it… and then, a couple of years ago, he just disappeared, vanished into thin air. Some say Eggman kidnapped him, but if you ask me, that brave idiot is wandering the world, still looking for Sonic."

"Oh..." Hazel felt a pang of compassion. "I'm sorry to hear that. They must have been very close."

"Like the closest of brothers" Silver muttered. "Sonic's loss was a tragedy through and through. He wasn't just one of the greatest guys I've ever met, he was also a symbol of hope. Nothing seemed unfeasible, not while he was around."

Hazel cast Silver a look. He was peering out of the dome, and the dark made it very difficult to read his face. "How did he die?"

"Finished off by the leader of Eggman's army." A note of bitterness tainted the psychokinetic hedgehog's voice. "Some monster going by the name Infinite."

Hazel stiffened up. "I-Infinite?"

"Yeah, the latest of Eggman's abominations - and a thorn in the side of the Resistance, worse than any other imperial flunky. You must have heard of him, haven't you?"

She took a few seconds to gather her words. "He l-led the assault on Tourmaline Town... my hometown. Eggman's robots burnt it to the ground."

The white hedgehog went quiet for a moment, then he gritted his teeth. "Those bast…"

Loud beepings cut off his words. Rouge pressed a sequence of buttons and steered the submersible to the side. "We'll get to Seaside Hill in a couple of hours. In the meanwhile, if I were you I'd try to take a nap. You're gonna need all the rest you can."

Hazel couldn't sleep. Instead, she stared out at the torchlight, at the occasional swirling of shadows that sometimes quivered just out of the bright circle. Fish or sea monsters, undisturbed dwellers of the dark below, some as pale as ghosts and others as colorful as the flower fields around Tourmaline Town. She had never seen anything of the sort, but the sense of wonder was quickly fading, replaced by that subtle anguish that only Infinite's name managed to so easily inspire. Her fingertips instinctively traced her neck, lingering on her jugular, the same spot the jackal's own hand had grazed four years prior. Hazel leant against her backrest and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the memory of a certain cold, mocking laugh tearing through her brain.

#

The Sea Fox silently emerged to the surface of the sea, approaching the shore of a verdant island. To be more accurate, what was once a verdant island: a vast share of the forest had been cleared to make way for a cluster of bunkers and factories, which now heavily racked the whole Seaside Hill. Eggman's grinning trademark gleamed brightly over each and every of them, challenging the dark of the night and obscuring the pale moon crescent that still dared to filter through the clouds above.

Hazel gazed up, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd strapped her combat suit on, and although it didn't look half as flattering on her as it did on Rouge, it was a welcome contact on her skin. Light and elastic, the close-fitting bodysuit displayed tones of russet and sandy brown, with hints of fern green here and there. A breastplate made of metal-interwoven mesh, thick yet pliant, protected her chest and the smaller spines on her back; her head was safeguarded by a forehead visor of the same material, which kept her cascade of quills pulled back, allowing them to flow loosely past her elbows without getting in the way. Slightly bulkier gloves and thigh-high boots complemented the uniform.

Silver sported a similar combat suit, although mostly in the tones of dark grey, with bits of green and cyan around his cuffs, boots and collar. He bore four smooth, metal contraptions, two around his wrists and two around his upper arms, but Hazel couldn't guess what the purpose of those steel rings could be. Rouge, who somehow managed to look sexy from head to toe even while geared up for war, donned black and magenta hues, adorned with a heart-patterned trim around her waistline. Instead of the forehead visor, she wore a full helmet equipped with goggles; only her ears and the lower part of her face were visible.

"Hey, newbie, don't forget about this!"

Hazel turned to the bat, just in time to catch a white gun-like device. It felt surprisingly heavy. She raised her eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Vector never showed you? It's a Boost Wispon. Standard Resistance issue."

A real Wispon… Hazel's mouth went dry. Except for the occasional weapon tests at the Redgate Refinery, she had never wielded a firearm before. And it must have shown, because Rouge sighed and stepped closer.

"Don't sweat it" she said, correcting her clumsy grip on the gun. "This baby is idiot-proof. You remove the safety - like this - and then all you have to do is take aim and pull the trigger. Keep the trigger pulled to charge the shot, let go to release it, easy. Just try not to shoot our own agents."

"I'll do my best… Er, not to shoot them, I mean."

Hazel gave a rather unconvincing nod. Rouge studied her for a moment, then turned to Silver.

"It's her first official field op" he explained.

"One hundred percent newbie." Rouge set her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "And Knuckles sent her here, of all places? I'll need to have a word with that echidna."

Hazel flushed.

"The Commander did what he deemed was right" Silver replied, resolute. "Now let's focus on our mission. The communicators, Rouge."

"Mhm."

The bat produced three earphones, each of them bundled with a minuscule mic. Silver and Hazel both took one and put it on - with some efforts on Hazel's end, as her hand kept on uncomfortably quivering.

"We'll be in direct contact with Amy" Silver said. "She'll provide us eventual analyses and directives from the HQ, and connect us with Blaze should the circumstances call for it. Amy, you there?"

" _Operator Amy, at your service!_ " Amy's chirpy voice confirmed in Hazel's ear.

"Yeah, sweet. We better get going now." Rouge squinted at something beyond the transparent dome and tapped her goggles. Hazel swore she could see datas and matrixes flicker over them. "Looks like the big show has begun already... Come on, I'd hate to miss it."

After berthing the Sea Fox, the three of them hopped down on the shore, their shoes making little to no sound on the softness of the sand. Even in its current conditions, there was a certain undeniable beauty about Seaside Hill: a shiver of constellations twinkled in-between the clouds, the surviving palm trees rustled in the breeze, and the waves gently rippled and lapped at the shoreline, their rustle a soothing chant to the ears. In another moment, Hazel could have found it the most beautiful place she'd ever seen. But any illusion of a nocturnal paradise was easily torn apart by the plethora of imperial factories and hangars huddled on the shore… and the glimmers of red light in the distance.

 _Oh, not another fire!_

"That's not the Resort…" Silver narrowed his eyes. "Wispon at the ready, Hazel."

"What about you two?" Hazel couldn't help but notice neither Silver nor Rouge seemed to be carrying any weapon.

"Don't worry about us." The bat winked at her. "Just watch and learn, we'll show you how it's done."

Silver brought a hand to his communicator. "What's the situation at Dolphin Resort, Amy?"

" _The Resort is under attack, but Taskmaster Blaze and the Cerberus Unit are holding it, for now."_

"There's a fight ongoing, just west of here."

Hazel heard light rapping of fingertips on a keyboard.

 _"Oh... Three Cerberus squads engaged Eggman's forces. They look in trouble!"_

"We're on our way." Silver looked straight at the fires in the distance, a determined look on his face.

Rouge spread her wings and smirked, as seductive as dangerous, clearly ready for a fight. Hazel, on the other hand, shifted her weight from one foot to the other, desperately trying to fight off the nausea that was climbing up her guts. Silver briefly glanced at the other hedgehog, and patted her back. "Hazel, we're in this together. And we'll watch each other's back, that's what teams are for. Rouge and I are counting on you."

Hazel exhaled through her teeth. _Teams..._ "It's fine. L-let's do this."

The two hedgehogs and the bat moved quietly along the dark shore, Silver and Hazel running, Rouge flying above their heads. As they approached the source of light, its origin became apparent: an arson fiercely devouring a wooden shackle. The flames roared and glistened, casting their eerie glow all around a small beach village - which had been turned into a battlefield.

An horde of Egg Pawns, Egg Hammers and Egg Cannoneers tried to advance on the village, slashing and burning and shooting anything in their way. Their efforts were however thwarted by two Resistance squads, bravely standing their ground against the robotic brigade. In the light of the arson - _Tourmaline Town, the flames, the bodies... NO! Focus, you idiot!_ \- Hazel could see flashes of a third squad, composed of avian agents; they were engaging a savage sky battle with a winged machine, much larger and more heavily armored than the rest of Eggman's soldiers. Propelled by turbines and armed with two flamethrowers, the stocky, winged contrivance floated through the air, regularly spraying out vicious cones of fire.

"An Egg Ifrit?" Rouge narrowed her eyes. "This won't be pretty."

In the midsts of that chaos, screaming villagers scampered off, desperately trying to escape the rage of the battle. Right in front of Hazel, two Egg Hammers were menacingly approaching an elderly cheetah, whose hobbling steps were causing him to fall behind.

" _Mantis Squad, Wolf Squad and Owl Squad are on it, but they can use your help!_ "

"No need to tell us twice, Amy." Silver extended his left hand towards the Hammers. The two robots abruptly froze up, immobilized inside an aura of cyan psychokinetic power. A sweeping movement of his arm sent the two Hammers flying to the side, straight into the sea.

Hazel's jaws dropped, but this was no time for questions: an Egg Cannoneer had noticed the newcomers and was now pointing its hand-cannon at her.

"Ohcrap!" Hazel dove behind the closest shackle, just in time. A loud detonation shook the air, and a black mark scorched the ground where the explosive shell had fallen, exactly the spot she had been standing on moments earlier.

Where she could have _died_ moments earlier.

Back pressed against the wooden wall, the hedgehog curled up on herself and whimpered quietly, regretting the moment she had made the stupid, stupid decision to follow Charmy's advice and step into the Hornets' Nest. Just what the hell was she thinking? A weakling like her, pretending to be a soldier... She would have only got herself killed. But perhaps, if she stayed hidden and kept quiet, the Cannoneer might have lost interest in her... and with some luck, no other enemy would have found her. Then, at the first chance, she would have run off. Yes, that sounded like a plan.

The thought was tempting. So very tempting.

But…

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rouge take flight and join the Owl Squad, while Silver attacked another Hammer. "Rouge and I will be counting on you", he had said.

Hazel tightened her grip on the white Wispon and took a deep breath.

"J-just take aim and pull the trigger" she mumbled to herself, repeating Rouge's words. "T-take aim, pull the trigger. Take aim, pull the trigger… Screw my life, I'm _so_ gonna die."

She leapt out of her hiding spot and rushed towards the Egg Cannoneer. The robot charged its hand-cannon, but Hazel was faster: her Wispon fired a blue energy beam, which hit the Cannoneer's leg and caused the machine to collapse on one knee. Jumping at the occasion, a wolf soldier pounced on the Cannoneer and quickly finished it off. He then gave Hazel a thumbs-up before diving back into battle.

Hazel blinked. _I… I did it? I did it!_

Not far from there, she caught sight of Silver effortlessly lifting three Egg Cannoneers up in the air, suspended into a psychokinetic aura. Moments later, the imperial soldiers were sent crashing down at full force, shattering in a heap of wires and metal scraps.

"We've got this, Cerberus!" Silver shouted out. "Take them all out!"

His attention snapped to another opponent - an Egg Hammer about to deliver the final blow to a wounded, blood-covered wolf. The unfortunate Hammer abruptly stiffened up, frozen in cyan radiance. Hazel ran closer and fired her Wispon twice, hitting the robot's arm and head. Focused on her target, she didn't notice the shadow looming above her. But Silver did: a glint of psychokinesis, and the Egg Pawn about to ambush Hazel from behind was mercilessly seized and thrown onto the burning shackle.

"Don't let your guard down!"

"R-right! Sorry."

BOOOM!

A Cannoneer's shell landed uncomfortably close to Hazel, splitting the ground less than three steps from her boots. Something small and sharp cut through the protective layers of her legs. The hedgehog half-pivoted on herself with a yelp, barely managing to keep her footing. She tried to shoot back, but her hands were shaking uncontrollably and the blue beams darted past her target without even touching it.

Luckily for her, a mantis chose that moment to hurdle the Egg Cannoneer, hitting it with a jumping kick in the process. The bug nimbly landed behind the robot and drew her lightning-shaped Wispon; a point-blank electrical discharge swiftly ended the fight, as the Cannoneer fell down in a heap of twitching, fuming metal. Hazel raised a hand in thanks, to which the mantis responded with a grin and a two-fingered salute.

Rouge and one of the owl soldiers glided above Hazel's head and quickly rose in altitude again to attack the Egg Ifrit. Idly spinning on itself, the winged machine pointed its flamethrowers and unleashed a powerful stream of fire. Rouge swirled out of the way, managing to dodge it, but the owl was too slow; the vicious flare hit his wing in full, singeing his feathers and scorching the muscles to the bone. Howling in agony, the soldier crashed down on the sand beneath. Almost immediately, like sharks drawn by the scent of blood, three Egg Pawns lunged for that easy prey. The mantis and Hazel lifted their Wispons at the same time, firing away and destroying two of them. Silver demolished the remaining one with a flick of his psychokinetic powers.

"Good job, you two." The white hedgehog looked at Hazel in faint surprise, but smiled: "You're getting the hang of it, recruit!"

"I - thanks."

Hazel didn't have the time to say anything else, too busy taking aim and firing at another approaching Pawn. The second shot hit its chest, causing it to stumble, and a psychic wave - courtesy of Silver - finished the job. Hazel twirled on herself, her Wispon already seeking another target. Her heart beat fast, and each pulse sent waves of energy rushing through her limbs. There was simply _not enough time_ to be afraid.

Another owl landed beside his fallen companion, kneeling down and sliding the injured soldier's arm around his own shoulders.

"Will he be alright?" Hazel asked, worried.

"Yeah. There's a Phoenix squad at the Resort, they'll fix him up in no time." Silver gazed up at the Ifrit, now wildly spinning across the sky in a blazing vortex. "But _that_ 's a problem."

He extended his hand towards it, freezing the Ifrit in a psychokinetic aura. Three owls immediately went after it, but their attacks didn't even scratch the heavily armored machine. Pirouetting on herself, Rouge dived in to deliver it a powerful kick; once again, the Ifrit didn't budge. A wolf soldier lifted her Wispon and unleashed a shower of bullets over it - without success.

"It's pointless!" An owl cried out. "It'd take the strength of a mortar to bring it down!"

 _The strength of a mortar…_

Something clicked in Hazel's mind, and she urgently looked around. Her gaze locked on the wreckage of the first Cannoneer that had attacked her - and on the hand-cannon resting beside it on the sand. Acting on a sudden intuition, she made a sprint for it: the cannon was still intact, and loaded with that last shell the Cannoneer never had the time to release.

Hazel dropped her Wispon and attempted to lift the ordnance. To no use: it was way too heavy.

"Silver!" she called out.

Silver turned around, and realization flashed in his golden irises.

"On it!" He held his free hand out to the cannon. A cyan halo surrounded the weapon like a spectral cocoon. "Clear out, Owl Squad!"

Adrenaline setting her veins on fire, Hazel hastily steered the now much lighter weapon and aimed to the immobilized Ifrit.

And that was when an issue she hadn't considered suddenly came up.

 _How do I fire this thing?!_

Panic twisted her stomach. Then she noticed the three switches on the barrel. Without thinking, Hazel reached out and quickly pressed all of them, hoping at least one could do the tri-

BOOOOOM!

The recoil blasted Hazel off her feet, sending her flying backwards. She slammed into the sand with a painful thud and rolled over and over, finally coming to a stop several feet away, sore and breathless.

"Ugh…" Massaging her ears, now pervaded by some annoying ringing, the hedgehog propped herself up on an elbow: miraculously, she had managed to hit and destroy one of the Ifrit's wings. The flamethrower machine desperately tried to glide off, only to plummet down and explode like a deathly firework on the impact with the ground. Muffled cheers echoed around the village.

No longer hindered by the Ifrit, the Owl Squad joined forces with the other Resistance teams, and together they began fighting back the remaining robots. Still dazed by the shot, Hazel clumsily sat up, just in time to see two Egg Pawns closing on her. She instinctively shielded her head with an arm, but before the Pawns could attack, a shadow flashed between them and their target; there was a loud clank, then the two robots fell apart, both dispatched by a single, powerful roundhouse kick.

Grimacing at the ache, Hazel pulled herself to her feet and looked up at her savior. "T-that was close. Thanks Rouge."

The bat gracefully folded her wings. "Not bad, newbie. But our mission isn't over yet."

"She's right. Whoever is calling the shots is still here, and still holding those civilians hostage" Silver agreed, catching up with them. "The squads have the situation in hand. Amy, where's our objective?"

The pink hedgehog's voice answered just a few seconds later:

" _The radar shows… There's some kind of weird signal coming from one of the submarine factories, I'll send you the coordinates in a moment. But the main entrance is locked from the inside, I'm afraid you'll have to get creative."_

"How did Eggman manage to build all these factories?" Hazel asked.

"Some of these were bunkers from the Old Wars. Eggman simply converted them" Rouge explained, before idly motioning towards the remnants of the beach village. "I suppose that's where most of these guys slave their lives away."

"Eggman attacked defenseless people, _again_ , just to try and bait the Commander into turning himself in." Indignation laced Silver's voice. "In my view, he's practically _begging_ for some ass-kicking."

"And it'd be oh so rude of us, not to grant him what he wishes for." Rouge smirked. "What do you say, newbie?"

Hazel's ears were still buzzing, her hands still shaking; but those bursts of adrenaline kept on powerfully flaring through her body, burning away her anxiety. Silver and Rouge were there. The Resistance was there. Alongside them, perhaps she could be something more than a worthless burden… perhaps she could be a friend, an ally, someone they could rely on.

 _Maybe, just maybe… I can do this. I think?_

Hazel walked to her Wispon and picked it up. "Those hostages w-won't save themselves, right?"

#

"Anything interesting to see down there, newbie?"

"Not yet... it's too dark."

"Let's just keep moving. We should be close by now."

" _Confirmed! Be careful, guys, okay? The odd readings are getting stronger._ "

"When you say 'odd readings', Amy, what you mean is...?"

" _The same scans we recorded at the power plant, Silver. I think Eggman's monster might be somewhere in that factory._ "

"Wait, w-what? I-I-Infinite is here?"

"Calm down, Hazel. If he is, we'll just deal with him."

"Hey, where do you think you're touching, silver boy?"

"O-oh. Sorry, Rouge."

"Ouch!"

"Could you please do me a favor and remove your boot from my face?"

"Oh, um, wait guys… There's something there... I think we reached the bottom?"

"Alright. Leave it to me."

The whispering voices suddenly shushed down. A glint of cyan energy shimmered in the dark, seizing a certain metal lid and crushing it as if it was made of cardboard. Silver crawled out of the no longer sealed air vent and let himself drop into the corridor below, landing with a nimble motion. He flattened himself against the wall and checked both directions. "All clear. Come."

Hazel eyed the floor, several feet below the vent. With a sigh, she cautiously grabbed the edge of the metal structure and let herself dangle down, before letting go; she clumsily landed beside Silver with an "Ow!", almost face-planting in the process. Rouge was next, and needless to say, she was elegance incarnate as she descended from above, smoothly twirling on herself and spreading her wings at the very last moment to absorb the impact. Her heels met the ground with the softest click.

" _Ar... in? T_ _ho... als... ef-!_ "

"Amy? Damn, we're losing the signal" Silver muttered.

"We're too far below sea level." Rouge glanced up, then to her left. "We'll have to get by on our own. Come on."

The three of them proceeded down the poorly illuminated hallway. Both the walls and the floorboards were made of metal, although Hazel couldn't tell of what kind: it looked coarse and pale green in tone, eaten by tracks of rust. Although there was no water in sight, the air seemed to grow progressively colder and moister at each step, to the point Hazel soon began shivering and rubbing her arms for some warmth. As they headed deeper into the heart of the structure, she didn't miss how Silver took the lead, while Rouge appointed herself as rear guard; without a word, the two veterans had silently agreed to leave the recruit in the middle, the safest position of the line.

For several minutes, the only noise came from the floor lightly creaking under their shoes, until Rouge suddenly stopped. "Someone's coming."

Hazel didn't hear anything, but neither she or Silver questioned the bat.

"How many?" Silver asked, tensing up.

"Too many."

The narrow hallway offered no niches, no hiding spots at all, except…

"To the ceiling, quick!" Silver hissed.

He unceremoniously picked Hazel up. Startled, the rookie clasped the white hedgehog by his shoulders, now holding the Wispon with one hand only.

"Hold fast" Silver recommended. The now familiar cyan halo surrounded his form, and he propelled himself upwards with a psychokinetic burst. Stifling a squeal, Hazel could do nothing but clutch him tight. Rouge took flight beside them, her motions as silent as a shadow's. Unfortunately for them, the hallway wasn't very high; however, a tangle of pipes protruded from its ceiling.

"This will have to do" whispered Rouge. The three Resistance agents managed to wedge themselves into that improvised shelter just in the nick of time.

Seconds later, a whole platoon of blue, hedgehog-shaped robots marched through the hallway. Rouge, Silver and Hazel remained perfectly still until the last echo of their clanking steps faded; then they hopped down, and Silver let go of Hazel.

Rouge tapped her chin, pondering. "Well, wasn't that quite the collection of Metal Sonics."

"Metal _Sonics?_ " Hazel stared ahead, eyes wide. "You mean, Sonic's...? Hey, do you think Eggman is sending those things to the Resort?"

"In that case, Blaze may be in trouble. We must warn her!" Suddenly worried, Silver closed his eyes and focused. The steel armlets and wrist chains implemented to his armor shone cyan, but whatever he was trying to do didn't seem to work, because the glow flickered and vanished a moment later. Silver groaned, his eyes snapped open again; concern and frustration in his look. "Damn it...!"

"Relax, silver boy" said Rouge indolently. "Your girlfriend is the Taskmaster of the Cerberus Unit for a very good reason, she'll be fine."

"Blaze is not my girlfriend!" exclaimed Silver, a bit too quickly. "We must hurry up. Let's go save those hostages and contact her."

Something sharp and thorny slithered through Hazel's heart, but she resolutely pushed it back: there were bigger problems to think about. The three agents slid deeper and deeper into the bunker, now moving more carefully, ready to pause at every suspicious noise. The temperature kept on dropping, until Hazel's teeth began chattering audibly and an unpleasant numbness pervaded her fingers. It was hard to think that somewhere above her head was one of the most radiant tropical islands of the world.

Then Silver stopped, so abruptly she almost bumped into him. A metal door had appeared on the wall on their left: round, heavy, guarded by a glowing grid of laser beams. Hushed murmurs and cries could be heard behind it.

"The hostages must be here" Silver whispered. "But where's Infinite?"

As if summoned by his words, a dark silhouette appeared on the other end of the hallway.

Every bit of courage Hazel had slowly managed to gather so far abandoned her. That voice, cold, amused, murderous, stabbed through her mind like a knife.

 _-Even more bothersome insects come scuttling to their demise.-_

The Wispon quivered in her hold, the muzzle of the weapon harmlessly pointed to the ground.

 _-Scream again, child. I quite like that sound.-_

Orange eyes widened, Hazel stared straight at the figure as it approached, ever so slowly.

Finally stepping into the neon light.

The three Resistance agents gasped. Hazel in enormous relief. The black hedgehog before them looked strong, and there was something unsettling in his blank crimson eyes; but he definitely wasn't Infinite.

"Shadow?" Rouge furrowed her brow, confused. "What the hell...?"

"Look out!"

At Silver's warning, the three of them scattered. Shadow's Homing Attack whooshed past them, only narrowly missing the target, but the strength and speed of the charge sufficed to tousle Hazel's quills. Before she could even point her Wispon, Shadow attacked again. He moved impossibly fast, so fast he seemed to teleport. One moment he was on the other side of the hallway - and then in the blink of an eye he was in front of Hazel.

The recruit didn't even _see_ the kick coming, but she surely felt it as it powerfully impacted against her chest and hurled her backwards; yelling, Hazel smashed into the wall and slid down to sprawl on the floor. Her shoulder throbbed painfully and something warm and sticky was beginning to trickle down her spines. The Wispon had slipped out of her grasp and clattered away, out of her reach.

 _All this power... in a single hit! Who - what in the world is this guy!?_

Silver's concerned voice echoed through the hallway: "Hazel! Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah" she coughed out.

She vaguely registered a bolt of black and winced, but Shadow had changed his prey. This time he was lunging at Rouge, grabbing for her neck... but he suddenly froze up, trapped inside one of Silver's psychokinetic auras. Rouge didn't miss her chance: she flew towards the dark hedgehog, pirouetted on herself and kicked him at full strength, sending him into the laser grid that covered the door. For a moment, Shadow's body twisted and twitched, as if trapped in silent agony; then he simply shattered in a burst of spectral red cubes.

An eerie, mysterious sound echoed through the hallway, quickly fading into quiet.

"What was that?" Hazel stuttered.

"A clone of some sort." Rouge shook her head. "The real Shadow would never betray us. And he's way too stubborn to let anyone defeat him like that."

Gritting her teeth, Hazel used the wall as support to stand up. That was when she noticed something odd.

"Look... The laser grid disappeared."

Silver and Rouge turned to the metal door, now as dark and still as the rest of the corridor. The bat cautiously approached and knocked on it. "Hello?"

"Help!" came a muffled voice from behind it. "Please, if you can hear me - let us out."

"Care to do the honors, silver boy?"

Moments later, the metal door was reduced to a heap of scraps, still weakly flickering with sparkles of cyan energy. A dozen of islanders stepped out, mostly felines. They looked shaken but unscathed, with the exception of some bruises and minor burns.

"Why, good evening everyone." Rouge smirked. "Bad news, Eggman tried to kill you all. Good news, the Resistance's here to save the day!"

* * *

Hallo! Guess who's back!

/throws another chapter in your face/

So here we have some more development, and action and stuff. Once again, the chapter turned out much longer than originally intended, but hey! You're the unfortunate souls who masochistically decided to hop on this delirious trip with me, you can only blame yourselves for your suffering. :3 Oh, and Infy will show up soon, I promise.

Wanna know some truly amazing cupcakes? I'm talking of **Steel Fairy** , **Dragonfire719** and **bajy** , who deserve a titan-sized fennec plushie for their lovely reviews and support. /tosses more hearts at/ You guys are love and inspiration!

Also a big shoutout for everyone who fav/followed the story! The list is getting pretty long. Welcome on board, IBeGinger, Core-X, AngelWolf1994 and antaurilover685! The buffet is on the left, the booze on the right.

/bows/ I hope you enjoyed the read.

Syrence, out~!


	6. Salt and Caramel

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **6**

 **Salt and Caramel**

Seated upon the rooftop of a submarine factory, with her legs nonchalantly crossed and her feet dangling over nothingness, Rouge contemplated the yellow halo of the moon. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen it. The sky was rarely this clear, especially over large imperial settlements such as Redgate City or Metropolis, where thermal and light pollution were most intensive.

Far below her, the ruins of the beach village had been rearranged into a temporary camp. With the islanders' help, the agents of the Resistance had put out the arson and set up tents with food and medical supplies. In the light of the lanterns, Rouge spotted the newbie, Hazel, hobbling to a wounded owl and delicately wrapping a blanket around him. Silver had already rallied all the uninjured Cerberus and regrouped them to go assist Blaze's troops at Dolphin Resort.

To think it would have come to be this way...

With a flick of her wrist, Rouge drew what seemed to be a simple pocket mirror from her waistband, clicked it open and brought it close to her mouth.

"This is Rouge. The field op in Seaside Hill was a success. Eggman's forces have been driven back and the hostages freed."

" _What of the Phantom Ruby?"_ came a familiar distorted voice from the counterfeit mirror.

"It wasn't here, but your speculations were correct. Either Eggman or Infinite used the Ruby to create a copy of Shadow, then they put that in charge of the robot unit tasked with storming Dolphin Resort. The readings we picked must have been triggered by the fake."

" _Which leads us to the next matter - the fake itself._ " Her chief took a moment to exhale. Rouge could almost view the scene with her mind's eye: her leader sprawled on a certain terribly antiquated armchair, smoking and scheming at the same time, as usual. " _What did you find out about it? Was the clone as powerful as the real Shadow?"_

"No, definitely not. A few hits, and it went down like a house of cards."

" _As expected. I believe we can officially confirm what we've suspected all along: the more copies the Phantom Ruby produces, the weaker they result, especially if the vessel of the Phantom Ruby isn't in their immediate proximity. A vital weakness to keep in mind."_

Rouge frowned. "Yes, but that doesn't explain how or why Shadow is involved in this. What aren't you telling me, chief? What did _you_ find out about that imposter?"

" _You know as much as I do, Rouge. The rest are mere c_ _onjectures and stabs in the dark."_ Her interlocutor let out a joyless chuckle. " _You may however rest assured that the real Shadow is alive and safe. At least as safe as the Ultimate Life Form hated by many and feared by most can reasonably be._ "

"But still you won't tell me about this mission you gave him. Why can't I help him?"

" _Because_ your _mission is as crucial as his own. You stated it yourself, the Commander wouldn't survive three days without you. You must keep watching over him and ensure his protection, at all times, no matter what._ "

"Shadow's mission better be _really_ important, chief."

 _"It is. And you couldn't aid him in any case."_ The distorted voice drew a slow sigh. _"This is a trial Shadow must face alone. It's time for him to seek his own destiny."_

"Yeah, whatever. Spare me your fatalistic bullcrap." Rouge's grip around the pocket mirror tightened. "I don't know what you're plotting, but if you end up harming Shadow, you'll have to answer to me."

" _Getting bold, aren't we?"_ The voice sounded bitter and amused at once. _"Put your mind at ease, for it is not my intention to endanger his life. It's true he acts on my request - but only and always out of his free will. If you think anyone can claim any kind of control over Shadow the Hedgehog, then you're severely mistaken."_

The thief's annoyance abated ever so slightly. She knew the chief was right about that. "What of Omega?" she asked, opting for a change of subject. "Any news about him?"

" _Still M.I.A., as far as we know._ "

"I see." Rouge sighed. "Anyway… I told our friends in common about Eggman's research facility, we'll hit it in a matter of days. As you requested, I persuaded the Taskmaster of the Sphinx Unit that the hedgehog you wanted might come in handy to identify the Obsidian."

" _Excellent. Then proceed with the plan."_

Rouge watched Hazel say something to the owl, then awkwardly scratch her quills as the owl chuckled. There was something about that newbie that the bat girl found oddly disarming. Perhaps it was the look in her stupid puppy eyes, still filled with gullible innocence, still capable to see some kind of beauty in that rotting world. She would have lost it soon, Rouge thought. Everyone did, in the end.

And yet…

Wait, was it truly _guilt_ what nagged at her conscience?

"Chief… Are you sure there's no other way?" Rouge's voice turned into the faintest whisper. "How can you be so sure the hedgehog will make for a fitting test subject? What you've got there is just another theory, purely based on a guess."

" _It's more than a simple guess. And if it's correct, Cynara's inheritance will be ours to seize, as it was always meant to be. Have you already forgotten our motto? Victory..."_

"At any cost, I know. But this is crazy. You're planning to send both the Commander of the Resistance _and_ your little Guinea pig to one of the most dangerous and heavily guarded places in the whole world. The Commander can hold his own, and I'll obviously be there to watch his back, but the hedgehog is just a newbie. The Empire will make mincemeat of her."

" _It's a risk we ought to take. Although, of course, it would be much easier for us if the Commander stood back and watched from the sideline..."_

"Don't count on it." A hint of well-concealed pride snuck into Rouge's tone. "You know what he's like. Hell will freeze over before the Commander lets his soldiers walk into the aforementioned dangerous and heavily guarded place without him."

" _An unfortunate complication. That stubborn echidna…_ " Her chief exhaled again. _"I'm afraid it's a problem you'll have to deal with on your own. You know your orders, Rouge. I'll expect your report soon."_

"Yes... chief."

 _"Good. May shadows follow your steps."_

"And yours."

Rouge folded the fake pocket mirror and rested her chin on her hand, sighing. This couldn't have ended well.

#

Vanadium stretched his newly built kevlar arm in a slow, experimental motion, bending and flexing it to test its responsiveness. He was pleased to see the mechanical articulations move flawlessly; and when he retrieved a grindstone from the closest workbench, it was with the littlest effort that his fingers closed around the tool and simply crushed it.

"You did well" he rasped out in that unnatural, metallic voice of his. "Definitely not bad for a flimsy organic… Miles Prower."

The fox beside him stiffened up and looked away. He was young, perhaps twelve or thirteen. Stains of dirt soiled his golden fur, and his crystal-blue eyes were filled with shame and misery. Two devices reminiscent of shackles clasped his wrists, clinking against each other as he twisted his hands in his lap.

The ceiling lights cast their glow over an array of workbenches laden with metalware, tools, probes and electrical devices. Although the room definitely resembled a workshop more than a prison cell, the only exit was closed off by a grid of laser bars, and the vigilant lens of a closed-circuit camera stared at Tails from a corner, watching him day and night, relentlessly.

On the table before him lay Vanadium's weapon of choice, hybrid of sword and rifle. The captain of the Peacemakers extended his newly made hand to grab its handle; with a flick of his wrist, he rotated the weapon and lifted the blade-barrel in front of himself. The metal shimmered, sharpened to perfection.

"And you repaired my Arondight, too… Aren't you the diligent little slave."

"I'm not your slave" Tails whispered in a small voice.

"No?" Vanadium cast him an amused look. "And here I was under the impression you sealed a deal with the Emperor, voluntarily offering your freedom in return for a special little favor. Am I wrong?"

"I had n-no choice..."

"I wonder… What would that precious Resistance of yours say, if they knew just how eagerly you followed the Emperor here? How _dutifully_ you've been serving him all this time? Even better, think about all the rebel scum who died because of your inventions… almost as if they died by your hand, right?"

Tails closed his eyes in silence.

His tormentor studied him, a malicious gleam to his stare. "The Empire grows ever greater, ever stronger - also thanks to your invaluable help, Miles Prower."

"Just… L-leave me alone" the fox stuttered.

"Not so fast. There's something else I want from you."

"You already took everything I had."

Vanadium casually spun his weapon, and the flat side of Arondight's blade came to rest against Tails' chest. The fox flinched, blue eyes cracking open.

"Not _everything_ " the cyborg pointed out. "Else you wouldn't be here."

Tails mustered all his courage and defiantly stared at Vanadium, forcing himself to ignore the cold, sharp steel pressed against his racing heart. "It takes more than this to break him... or me. I'm not afraid of you, Vanadium."

"Are you seriously trying to challenge me? How cute." The captain snorted. "Bad news for you, cub. Last time I checked, my Peacemakers were in charge of the prisoners and their, ah... disciplinary measures. Of course, it'd be a shame if my hand _slipped_ on the wrong button…"

"You wouldn't dare! Eggman would never forgive you."

"The Emperor would never forgive me if I killed either of you, true. But - shall I let you into a secret?" Vanadium leant forward, closer to Tails' ear; Arondight grazed his fur, without however drawing a single drop of blood. "I'm good at keeping people alive, Prower. For a very long, _long_ time. My preys in particular."

The fox couldn't help but swallow thickly, his bravery waning.

"Now this is a more appropriate reaction" Vanadium approved.

Tails glowered at him, but he knew his hands were tied, and by something way heavier than the shackles around his wrists. He took a slow, deep breath. "What do you want?"

"A miracle."

"What...?"

"The miracle the seven Chaos Emeralds are supposedly able to create, once gathered." The cyborg's natural red eyes narrowed, fixated on his captive's face. "I want you to build a device to track and locate Chaos energy."

The two-tailed fox fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot. "The power of the Chaos Emeralds is not something one should mess with... What are you planning, Vanadium? It's-"

A pained yelp escaped him as Arondight's blade drew the lightest cut across his chest. Droplets of red began staining the white of his fur.

"Nothing you should concern yourself about. Can you build my machine or not?" Vanadium snarled.

Tails' eyes watered up, but he fought those tears back before Vanadium could notice them. He would have never given the cyborg _that_ satisfaction. "I… I don't think I can. The blueprints of my Emerald Detector are gone… I cannot develop such a complex device without the proper materials..."

"A shame. And here I thought you wanted your friend to survive our _hospitality_ unscathed" the captain insinuated. "I guess I was wrong. Now, what shall it be? Electroshock, or…?"

"Wait!" Tails quickly interrupted him.

Vanadium tilted his head to the side, the gesture accompanied by a metallic clank. Unable to hold his gaze, the fox stared down at his own clenched fists. Hating himself and his weakness, he mumbled: "I… I'll do it. Just… give me some time..."

"Excellent." Vanadium cleaned Arondight's blood-stained edge on Tails' fur, then he lowered the weapon and stood up. "I'm looking forward to our next chat, Miles Prower. You never disappoint."

As he marched out of the cell, the laser bars blocking off the exit temporarily dissipated, only to reappear after his passage. Vanadium cast one last look at the captive; his kevlar jaws snapped, sharpened metal fangs flashing in what could have been a sneer, before he stalked off.

Left behind in his cell, Tails sunk his face into his hands.

#

"I'm almost done here, miss Hazel. Please hold on just one minute longer, okay?"

Hazel forced herself to remain as still as possible as Taskmaster Cream patiently finished to bandage her spines. The hedgehog had just come back from the operation in Seaside Hill, and now she lay prone on one of the six available cots inside the infirmary of the Redgate HQ. In spite of Cream's delicate touch, Hazel couldn't help but flinch whenever the nurse cleaned this cut or applied a refreshing salve to that bruise; she'd somehow managed not to break any bone, but the fake Shadow's attack had left her badly battered nonetheless.

To distract herself from the ache, she watched Cream out of the corner of her eye. How such a young girl could be a skilled nurse was beyond her. "If I may ask, Cream, how did you end up here?"

"I've lived in Redgate City my whole life, miss Hazel. Mom used to run a clinic, and I used to help her, when I wasn't taking care of the Chao Garden."

"There was a Chao Garden in Redgate City?" Hazel asked, surprised. "I thought Chao only lived in the wilderness."

"Usually, but not always. It's very true that Chao like clean air and that they only drink perfectly pure water - that's why they're hard to raise here." The bunny sprayed a cold liquid on a contusion, making Hazel wince. "But the City wasn't always like this, miss. I remember when it was all quaint and cute, with super pretty parks everywhere. And our Garden in the outskirts was the sweetest place ever, full with adorable Chao! You would have loved them, everybody did."

"Did the Chao leave, after Eggman attacked the City?"

"No" said Cream, her tone suddenly turning melancholic. "They didn't have the time. Doctor Eggman destroyed the Garden and kidnapped all those poor Chao, and he was about to get me as well, when Amy showed up." In gentle motions, the nurse unfurled another roll of bandage. "She rescued me, but we couldn't do anything for the Chao. When poor mister Sonic…" Cream swiftly corrected herself: "When the Empire started spreading everywhere, joining the Resistance was the only choice, for mom and me. We couldn't just stand and watch."

"You were very brave" said Hazel encouragingly.

"Mom is so much braver than I could ever be." The mini Taskmaster looked about to say something else, but in the end she just shook her head - ears swinging at the motion - and focused on her work without another word.

Hazel recalled that Cream's mother had been the previous Taskmaster of the Phoenix Unit, before Eggman captured her. Feeling the sudden urge to hug the little nurse, she softly asked: "Do you know where Eggman might be holding your mother?"

"No..." Cream paused for a moment, before attempting a little smile. "But if we defeat Eggman, we'll be able to save mom and free the Chao. I'm sure we will. And mister Knuckles is going through great lengths to help me find them."

"That's very- ow!"

"Sorry! Sorry! I'll be quick, promise."

In that moment, the door to the infirmary slid open. Espio and Vector walked in, the chameleon looking as broody as ever, the crocodile holding a datapad in his hand.

Cream politely nodded her head to them. "Good morning, mister Vector and mister Espio."

"Hey Cream, rookie."

"Greetings."

"Hazel tried to stand up from the cot, but Vector put a gloved hand on her shoulder. "At ease, you."

"What's the situation at the Resort?" Hazel anxiously asked.

"Everything's under control, for now" said the Sphinx Taskmaster. "The Cerberus Unit kicked some major butt across the island and secured the city once and for all. Blaze and Silver are still there, of course, keeping an eye out just in case any imperial reinforcement shows up - but yeah, Seaside Hill is officially ours!"

Silver was fine. Relief flooded through the recruit, washing away the dark, heavy weight lodged on her chest. She smiled shyly. "That's fantastic news!"

Vector grinned toothily. "Once properly geared up for war, Seaside Hill will become our first real base. It's pretty well protected, in an excellent position, and still stuffed with Eggman's technology. As soon as the Siren Unit get to tamper a bit with them, the Egghead's own anti-aircraft machines will guard us from his airships! And guess what? After the Empire's attack, a bunch of islanders decided to join our ranks!"

"Indeed, we gained remarkable tactical grounds and a greater strength in numbers, but that's not a reason to slacken our efforts yet." Espio folded his arms across his chest and cast a serious look at his fellow agents. "Eggman's retaliation will come soon. We must seize this opportunity to shore up our defenses and prepare ourselves for the worst."

"Geez, way to kill the mood, Espio! We deserve a pat in the back every now and then." Vector shook his head. "Nonetheless, you're right. It's too soon to celebrate. We have a mustachioed tyrant to overthrow and a world to save. The quicker we get it done, the better."

"Just please be careful" said Cream softly.

"It's gonna be alright. Blaze and Silver have everything covered."

Hazel cleared her throat and tried to sound as indifferent as she could. "They... um, won't be back for a while, I take it?"

"Not until the island is 100% ready to withstand an imperial assault" Vector replied. "And let me tell you, turning Dolphin Resort into a fortified stronghold will be no walk in the park. But let's just take things one step at a time - for now, we'll leave Seaside Hill in the very capable hands of the Cerberus and Siren Units. We have more juicy intel to share, which is why we're here."

Hazel nervously shifted on the spot. "Just tell me it's not another..."

"It's totally another mission for you, rookie! ... Once you get better, that is" Vector quickly added, intercepting the disapproving glare of Cream, whose expression had suddenly switched from soft and melancholic to _extremely judgmental_. Nothing quite kindled the ire of the Phoenix Taskmaster like talking about new and potentially dangerous missions in front of agents she hadn't even finished patching up yet.

Vector cleared his throat. "Right. Hazel, you're one of the survivors of Tourmaline Town, correct?"

She nodded, surprised. "How did you know?"

"We keep files on each and every of our agents. Plus, you mentioned it to Rouge - and she found something that might catch your interest."

 _Did they find…?_

A jolt of reluctant hope warmed Hazel's chest.

"We'll need your help to deal with Eggman's latest weapon!"

"Oh… a weapon." Hazel tried not to sound too disappointed. Cream placed one last plaster on her quills, and the hedgehog propped herself on her forearms to sit up. "The bomb planted under the Redgate Refinery?"

"No, Espio's squad is taking care of that. We've got something else at hand." Vector held out his datapad: the green hologram of a stocky, technological-looking building glimmered above it. "These are the Aethernity Labs in the Mystic Jungle. On the paper it's just a minor research facility, but trustworthy sources relayed that Eggman is using it as base to run experiments on a variety of powerful objects... Including the Phantom Ruby, that's Infinite's troublesome trinket, and something called Obsidian Core, which apparently is the reason why Eggman ordered the attack on your hometown in the first place. Any idea what it might be?"

"Core…" Hazel stared at the hologram, rolling the word on her tongue. "Well, I know nothing of an Obsidian Core, but there was a tree, nearby Tourmaline Town… We called it the Obsidian Tree. Maybe, I mean, surely they must be linked in some way?"

Vector and Espio exchanged a look.

"What kind of tree?" the chameleon asked.

"It looked as though it was made of black crystal, but it was alive. Silly old fairytales said it warded off evil spirits..." Hazel interrupted herself as a rush of memories flooded her head: the way the Obsidian Tree, in certain clear nights, glinted softly in the moonlight; her home, just one of the several huts lining the outskirts of the idyllic forest village; the fragrance of the apple trees in bloom, during spring… And then her kindly neighbor, always the first to offer a smile or a cup of raspberry tea, reduced to a charred corpse on the ground, surrounded by an inferno of smoke and noise. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut and vigorously shook her head, struggling to get rid of the images seared into her brain.

"Are you okay, miss Hazel?" Cream asked.

"Ah? Err..." The hedgehog opened her eyes again. The bunny's expression was filled with worry, and Vector looked positively concerned. Espio stared at her in calm silence, but a little frown was visible on his forehead.

Great. Now her newfound allies thought she was going crackers. Hazel felt her cheeks catching fire.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, I'm just a little tired." She took a deep breath and tried to recompose herself. "So, um… The Obsidian Tree. There was an order of guardians watching over it, the Sentries. They were able to tap into the power of the tree to do stuff such as creating barriers or healing wounds. They could also channel that energy to summon a protective wall all around the village… that was what we called the town barrier. But it's all gone now, as far as I know. I-Infinite killed the Sentries, and Eggman destroyed the Obsidian Tree."

Something nagged at the back of her mind. A detail that didn't quite click with the rest, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Well, now we know he didn't completely destroy it" Vector said. "Whatever the source of that power was, looks like Eggman is keen on controlling it, not snuffing it." He began pacing back and forth - something he enjoyed doing whenever he was planning something, as Hazel had noticed. The hologram trembled weakly at each step. "I don't know what Eggman's trifling with, but sure as heck it cannot mean good news for the Resistance. We'll break into the Aethernity Labs, turn the place upside-down and either steal or destroy every snippet of research we can find."

"What of the security system?" Hazel asked. "A research facility must have one."

"The Sphinx hackers will handle it, although it will likely take a while, if those Labs are as important as we suspect they are." Vector paused his pacing to flash her a grin. "I take it you're in, rookie?"

"Eggman burnt my hometown to the ground." The hedgehog looked down and balled her hands into fists. "Nothing we may do can ever change that. But if any part of my home can still be saved, if only the remnants of the Obsidian Tree… then yes, I want to have a part in that. Please."

"I was counting on it." The Taskmaster of the Sphinx Unit nodded, his tone softened ever so slightly. "Rest assured, we'll make him pay. And this might be the perfect chance to finally turn the tables. Now check this out."

He tapped the datapad again to zoom out. The spectral laboratory floating between them shrunk considerably, and the surrounding area also came into view: lush jungle sections, an elaborate network of waterslides, ancient ruins converted into casinos, nightclubs and racetracks. Hazel stared breathlessly. Even if what was quivering before her was just a laser projection of the Mystic Jungle, the lavishness of the place was impressive.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of candy land for the rich?" she asked.

"The Mystic Jungle is a resort for anyone wealthy and loyal enough to be considered part of Eggman's retinue - the elite of society and all that nonsense." Espio shrugged. "Although, not everyone is there to gamble money. Some of them are just desperate, starving citizens ready to gamble their own life for the amusement of the elite."

"You can gamble your _life_?"

"Anything can be gambled, in the Mystic Jungle, it's only a matter of finding the right game" Vector said with a grumble. "Back to the matter at hand… the plan. Two teams will gather in two different rendezvous points. As soon as the security system is shut down, the first and larger team - mostly made of Cerberus - will tear through the entrance and fight their way into the facility, wrecking everything they'll find on her path. Blaze and Silver got their hands full in Seaside Hills, which means it will be up to the Squad Leaders to guide our soldiers to victory. The Aethernity Labs are right here, see? Between that circus thing and this weird palace." He pointed to a small plaza before the latter. "While the Cerberus storm the place and keep Eggman's minions busy, a smaller team will gather up here, climb the palace and break in from the rooftops. Rookie, you and I will join this team, alongside Rouge and the Commander."

"The Commander?" Hazel frowned. "Shouldn't he lay low for now? Literally the whole Empire is after him."

"As if Knuckles could lay low when we finally get the chance to mess with Eggman for real." Vector snorted. "No, he wanted a front row seat to the show even before Rouge had finished talking. Still, no worries! It's the Sphinx Taskmaster you're talking to, miss, and I already have a bomb-proof masterplan to sneak him in right under Eggman's nose."

"What sort of masterplan?"

"You'll find out in due time." Vector resumed his pacing back and forth. "As I was saying, the big team will bring the fight to Eggman's doormat, while our cherrypicked team will break in from above. Our objective, rookie, is to find out as much as we can about the Phantom Ruby and locate this Obsidian Core. If possible, we'll extract the Core safely."

"Please understand" Espio added in his calm voice "that in the worst scenario we might have to destroy it. Should the Obsidian Core prove dangerous, and Eggman wouldn't be interested in it if it wasn't, we cannot afford the luxury to leave it in his hands."

"It's okay." Hazel nodded, albeit slowly. "It's worth the try. If I may ask, though... why me? Don't get me wrong, I haven't changed my mind nor anything, but… well, you say it yourself. I'm just a rookie."

"A rookie who may be able to recognize this unknown weapon as soon as she sees it" Vector pointed out. "Only a few survivors managed to escape the massacre of Tourmaline Town, and the rest of you lot are all recorded imperial citizens. If there's someone who can help us deal with that Obsidian thing, it's you."

Cream slid an arm around her shoulders, with the care not to touch the bandaged spines. "Please keep your eyes open, okay? All of you."

"We'll be fine, Cream." Vector grinned. "And if we make this right, we'll mark a turning point in the revolution. So far we've been forced to live in the shadows, but with Seaside Hill on our side and no Phantom Ruby in the way, the Resistance may finally stand a real chance to mop Eggman up for good."

Hazel hugged the nurse back and stared at the green hologram flickering above their heads, without however seeing it. In her mind she was replaying her last hours in Tourmaline Town. She remembered Eggman's drill machine... Why would have Eggman used a _drill_ of all things, if he meant to destroy the Tree? His robot army had annihilated the Town with disconcerting ease, surely it had the firepower to burn the Tree down to a crisp as well, had the Emperor wanted to.

Vector was right. That day, Eggman had been after something else.

And the answer lay within that research facility.

#

That evening, after finishing her shift at the Hornets' Nest, Hazel decided to kick back a little and take a trip to the downtown. She felt too restless to head straight home, especially because she had a lot to think about, and the thought of putting up with yet another lonely evening accompanied by Metal Amy's newscast was plain depressing. The bruises on her shoulder and spines hurt still, but they didn't bother her too much. Quite the opposite: a strange, tingly feeling reminiscent of euphoria swirled inside her chest. Even the dark of the approaching night didn't look that spooky anymore.

She had taken part to a mission, her first official mission in the Resistance... and she had survived! Perhaps she wasn't completely hopeless. And although the perspective of another mission was scary, it also brought a small, hesitant smile to Hazel's face: Vector relied on her enough to entrust her with it. Like Charmy, he also believed she had what it took to be an asset to the Resistance. Hazel swore to herself she wouldn't have disappointed him nor anyone else, not anymore.

The hoverbus shelter wasn't far away from the bar. On her way to the curved plexiglass structure, Hazel was surprised to hear someone call her name.

"Heeey, Hazel!" On the other side of the road, Amy Rose waved cheerfully at her. She then quickly caught up with the other hedgehog and took her by the arm, beaming. "Looks like I have some free time today! Where are you going? Mind if I come along?"

"Oh… it's fine." Hazel nodded, a bit taken aback. "Um, I was thinking about Sunset Heights."

"Aw, it's a super cute district. Sounds great!"

They had to wait about five minutes for the hoverbus to show up, plus fifteen minutes more to reach their destination. For the whole trip, Amy bombarded Hazel with questions: she wanted to know _everything_ about her, from her favorite food to her childhood days to her life at the refinery. Hazel couldn't help but shy away from the most personal inquiries, and to her relief, Amy didn't press her on for answers.

Beyond the windows of the hoverbus, the squalid alleys of the slums soon gave way to factories and power plants, and eventually to the rows of quaint and colorful buildings gracing the downtown. Sunset Heights was one of the very few districts that still bore some tracks of its previous appearance. Brightened by the warm glow of the streetlights, it mostly comprised malls, markets and thrift stores, the old-fashioned buildings all densely huddled together in a prism of brick-red, powder blue and sand yellow.

As soon as Hazel and Amy hopped down the hoverbus, the pink hedgehog looked around with a wide smile. "Here we are! Aw, I know the cutest shoe store here, we should totally check it out. By the way, what have you come to buy? Food? Clothes?"

"Actually…"

"A-ha, don't tell me! I know exactly what you need right now. Come!"

"Hey!"

Too late: Amy had already grabbed Hazel's wrist and was now forcefully leading her through the district. Hazel mumbled under her breath, but didn't find the words to tell Amy that she couldn't really afford much: she simply enjoyed walking among those beautifully illuminated roads, where everything looked a little less dreary. The air itself smelled nicer, as the stench of smog and garbage was partly covered by the scent of freshly baked pancakes and fruity perfumes. One could almost dream they weren't in the Empire - until they noticed the Egg Peacemakers stationed at every corner, watching the streets like hawks and ensuring nobody crossed the line.

Amy's enthusiastic charge came to a stop before a popsicle shop. The swirling and colorful neon sign above it read _"77 Flavors!?"_. "Ta-da! Nothing like a popsicle after a tough workday, and 77 Flavors got the best popsicles in town. Let's go! It's on me!"

Trying to stop the energetic operator proved impossible, and soon Hazel and Amy found themselves sitting on a bench, popsicles in hand, watching the flow of people strolling up and down the picturesque roads of Sunset Heights. The terrace they'd picked had a great view of the Quay, where the last cargo ships hurried back and forth, preparing to berth for the night. Hugged by the vermillion bridge Redgate City owned its name to, the waters of the bay looked as dark and murky as the sky above.

Not like the gloomy atmosphere could dishearten Amy, however.

"Passion fruit, cotton candy and bubblegum! Sweetest combo ever." The operator took a small bite from her fluorescent pink and purple popsicle, only to close her eyes and hum at the savor. "So _awesome_! Want some?"

"No thanks, Amy."

"Aw, but you're missing out!"

Hazel was still cautiously inspecting the mysterious popsicle Amy had got for her. It was light beige, almost the same shade of her own spines, but with a golden shade to it. And she couldn't figure out for the life of hers what kind of flavor that was supposed to be.

"Once this little staring contest between you and the popsicle is over, you should really try it, you know." Amy giggled at the look on Hazel's face. "I can assure it won't bite you. If anything it should be the opposite, don't you think!"

Not without some degree of hesitation, Hazel brought the dessert to her lips and nibbled at it. A strange yet incredibly rich and pleasant taste invaded her mouth, halfway between sweet and salty. She furrowed her brow, surprised. "Oh."

"Not bad, right?" Amy's smile brightened. "The wonders of salted caramel."

"It's... delicious."

"Glad you like it!"

Hazel looked down at the popsicle, then at Amy. "I… hadn't hang out like this with anybody in a while, you know. A long while."

"Neither had I" Amy said. "A lot of things have changed in these years. And our… little part-time job keeps everyone very busy."

"What do you do when not, er, fiddling with computers?"

"I work on an assembly line." The pink hedgehog shrugged a shoulder. "My job is essentially getting bored out of my mind while I bung bottles with styrofoam stoppers. At least the surveillance robots are extra dumb, so I don't have to worry about those, but I miss my old life." She took another nibble at her popsicle. "Truth to be told, I miss a lot of things. And some will never be back, not even if we overthro-"

An Egg Peacemaker chugged by, and Hazel shot Amy a warning glance.

"-Think" the chirpy girl swiftly corrected herself. "If we overthink the, ah, details of our next task at the factory."

The two girls finished nibbling their popsicles, pretending to look as relaxed and innocent as possible until the Peacemaker left. Eggman's robotic cops dutifully patrolled the central districts of every city under his control, and were programmed to shoot not only at anyone stirring trouble, but also anyone speaking ill of Doctor Robotnik or mentioning the words "Sonic" or "Resistance", no matter in what terms.

As soon as the machine disappeared out of sight, Amy dropped her façade and made a little pout. "Creepy" she muttered. "Can you believe some people _move_ to the central districts, because they feel safer with those murderous tin cans lurking around and watching their every move?"

"Hmm." Hazel's gaze fell on two dogs, most likely father and son, walking in front of a thrift store. The older canine held the cub's hand, and both of them looked tired and unkempt, their eyes black-ringed. Something about their dejected bearing reminded Hazel of the otter at the Hornets' Nest. "In their defense, it's true that the central districts are crawling with Peacemakers - but it's also true the outskirts are crawling with criminals, drunkards and desperate people turned violent. Sometimes people have to face difficult decisions, like choosing between a little more freedom or a little more safety. At least here they know that the Emperor will most likely let them live, as long as they keep their heads down."

"That's what I call blackmailing!" Amy's voice was laced with indignation. "And to think so many would much rather delude themselves into thinking they're safe, even under Eggman's thumb… How can they expect things to get better, if they do nothing to change them?"

"They're scared, I guess..."

"Well, I'm scared too."

Hazel glanced at Amy, surprised. The pink hedgehog's fingers clutched the stick of her popsicle, and although the look in her eyes was resolute, Hazel noticed her lips were quavering slightly.

"I'm scared... but I refuse to let my fear control me. My friends need me to stay strong." Her voice became the tiniest whisper. "And if Sonic were here, he'd laugh in the face of the danger and tell me to keep moving forward. So I'll do exactly that, see - regardless of what the Empire may throw my way. I won't let him down. Not him, nor Cream, nor anyone else."

""Amy..."

Amy brought a hand to her chest. "And no, he isn't dead. I just… know it. I feel it. He cannot be gone forever."

An awkward silence fell between them for a few seconds.

"What was he like?" Hazel quietly asked.

Amy opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if she didn't know where to begin. "Unique" she said in the end. "He made the impossible look perfectly within your reach. No matter how frightening, obstacles stopped being obstacles - instead, they became occasions to shine, to show the world what you'd got." Amy drew a sigh, then she ran a hand through her confetti-colored quills and suddenly cast Hazel a bright grin. "Which is why I know he's still somewhere out there! He would never surrender like that, especially to Eggman. And I'll never give up on him, never ever!"

Her expression was filled with faith and determination, and Hazel didn't have the heart to retort. The recruit let her gaze wander towards the crimson bridge in the distance.

"You know… I think I understand what it feels like. I mean, clutching to the belief someone you love might still be alive, even if everyone and everything tell you otherwise."

"Oh?" Amy turned to her, tilting her head to the side.

"I haven't seen my father since the day our hometown was destroyed. But he cannot be gone." Hazel felt a familiar sense of warmth creeping up her cheeks. "I don't want to believe it."

Amy nodded in understanding. "What about him, then? What was he like?" she asked softly.

"He was… stern, and he had a bit of a short fuse. Sometimes he'd get a little harsh with me, but only because he wanted me to become stronger. My mother passed away when I was a kid, so he had to raise me all on his own. Things were rough, but he always did the best he could." Her cheeks turned darker. "I know it's silly, but I was hoping… you know. To return the favor. To be the one protecting him, for once. To show him I'm not as weak as he thinks I am."

Suddenly, Amy's gloved hands clasped her own. Hazel looked at her, surprised.

"There's nothing silly about that!" Amy said fervently. "And I'll help you! Together, we'll surely find your father and my friend."

The two hedgehogs stared at each other for a moment, then Hazel squeezed Amy's hands in return, unable to stop the corners of her mouth from curling into a shy, thankful smile. "Yes!"

"Heck yeah!" Amy giggled. And just like that, melancholy left as quickly as it had arrived.

The rest of the evening was spent chattering pleasantly. The two girls quickly found common grounds in their shared dislike towards Metal Amy, which Amy bore a special kind of grudge for. Although Hazel still had mixed feelings about the overly bubbly operator, she couldn't deny she rather enjoyed her company: kind yet spunky, Amy wasn't afraid of speaking her mind, and moreover she seemed to know every gossip and hearsay in town, inside and outside the walls of the Resistance HQ. Hazel craved to learn more about their fellow agents, a certain white hedgehog in particular; but she didn't dare to ask any direct question, not out there in the open.

"By the way, it's getting pretty late" commented Amy in the end, stretching her arms above her head. "And tomorrow is another busy day, we should get home." She glanced over at Hazel, the popsicle stick still poking out from the corner of her mouth. "Hey, wanna know something funny I noticed?"

"Yeah?"

"You haven't stuttered in a while!"

Hazel blushed deeply. "T-that's..."

"Aw, the spell broke already?" Amy giggled. "We should totally hang out more often, it was fun!"

 _Fun..._

"Yes, it was."

* * *

Hallo! /rolls around in a cupcake costume/ I hope you enjoyed the read!

So the plot is taking baby steps forward! And Vanadium-chan is back, still trying to make Eggman-senpai notice him... or not, perhaps there's more to it! Also a wild Tails appears, too.

Let me deliver a giant-sized okapi plushie to **Steel Fairy** , **Dragonfire719** , **Core-X, bajy** and **Youko-Fairy** , who are absolute love. /showers in hearts/ Thank you so much for your heart-warming reviews! /crushes everyone in big group hug!/

And no, Dragon, you aren't the only one disappointed in the game designers' lack of creativity. I, for one, really hoped to see more airship action, too - during the final battle scene, you can clearly see Eggman's fleet saying hello from behind Infinite & clone army, but it seems to be mostly ornamental. I also wished to see more variety in environments, too, but nada. Which is a shame 'cause I think we can all agree Sega can come up with quite the amazing settings and atmosphere - when they feel like it. And well spotted, Core-X, the Hornets' Nest was indeed partially inspired by the 7th Heaven in FF7. x)

A big shoutout to all the fantastic cupcakes who fav/followed the story! /bows/ Welcome on board, Laubaozi, The Disney Critic Girl, The Friendly Fox and Latias Eevee.

Syrence, out~! /vanishes/


	7. Victoria's Masterplan

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **7**

 **Victoria's Masterplan**

The Mystic Jungle was unlike anything Hazel had ever seen.

The fluctuating little hologram projected by Vector's datapad could have never captured how flashy, how _overwhelming_ the place was. Wherever Hazel's attention roamed, everything she registered was a maddening blur of dark and light: the dark of the exotic jungle sections, enshrouded in shadows and mystery, and the light of the ruins, all of which had been rearranged and converted into exceptionally glittery and opulent palaces. Nightclubs, motels, casinos filled with slot machines and poker tables, gambling houses, coliseums, arenas, hoverbike and Extreme Gear racetracks, roller coasters, a sparkling ferris wheel - the Mystic Jungle amalgamated them all, daringly, unsparingly, leaving Hazel both dazzled and daunted. Powering up the smallest of those creations for one night probably required the same amount of electricity the whole Slums of Redgate City would have consumed in one month.

 _A resort for anyone wealthy and loyal enough to be considered part of Eggman's retinue..._ Hazel repeated Espio's words in her mind, and a chill crawled up her spine. No matter how bright and luxurious that place looked - what she was about to enter was nothing short of a lion's den, crawling with Eggman's most powerful allies and supporters. And probably more dangerous than the battlefield in Seaside Hill. Joining the fight against the robot army, breaking into the submarine factory had been terrifying, sure; but at least back then it had been easy to tell apart friends from foes, haven from danger. _Yeah,_ _I better watch out._

She walked towards the plaza where she was supposed to rendezvous with Vector and Knuckles, doing her best to look as casual as possible. Amy had suggested her to throw a dress over her combat suit to conceal it from sight; and as the recruit strolled up the main road, casting an occasional glance at the guests and customers of the Mystic Jungle, she couldn't help but mentally thank the pink operator for her advice. Most customers clearly belonged to the thriving upper society of the Empire, as shown by the tuxedos and overly fancy gowns they wore. The smell of tobacco and expensive perfumes drenched the air, intense enough to make Hazel's nostrils itch. Feeling slightly awkward and definitely out of place, the hedgehog forced herself to strut along the road, hoping nobody would have paid attention to the large haversack strapped to her back, where she had stuffed her forehead visor and her folded Wispon.

As she moved past a pair of couple of wealthy-looking customers, the male - a wolf in tux - turned his head and gave her the once-over, as if he could smell her humble origins from a distance. Hazel glanced away, but not quickly enough not to notice the scornful sneer on his lips or the bionic eye implanted in the left side of his face. His partner, an eagle woman in a gown, briefly moved her attention to the hedgehog as well, regarding her with the same uninterested contempt she might have regarded a pile of trash; the hand holding her cocktail was mechanical, kevlar fingers delicately wrapped around the glass.

"So inappropriate" the eagle said to the wolf, loud enough for Hazel to hear. "I wonder why the Emperor still allows filthy peasants into the Mystic Jungle."

"Don't be like that, my darling." The wolf gave her a little smirk. "We do need cannon fodder for the Bloodblitz Arena, don't we? Peasants just make the matches so much more interesting."

Cheeks on fire, Hazel gulped and hurried along the path. After putting some distance between her and the couple, she lightly tapped the small mic disguised as a pin on her collar.

"Amy, are you there?" she whispered.

" _Of course_ " the cheerful navigator uttered through her earpiece.

"There are... cyborgs here."

 _"Most of Eggman's underlings are. And don't let their frills fool you, some of them are exceptional fighters."_

"Great. Just what I needed." Hazel sighed. "Well, I'm near the rendezvous point."

 _"Alright! Hang in there, I'll connect you to your team in a moment. The Commander and Vector should be in the area already."_

Hazel looked around. The meeting spot with Vector and Knuckles was a brightly illuminated plaza surrounded by tropical plants, which trunks and leaves were almost completely wrapped in neon lights. The other side of the square was dominated by a particularly flashy nightclub, shaped as a palace covered in electrical flowers and diamonds. Hazel knew the Aethernity Labs were supposed to be somewhere beyond the nightclub, but all she could see in that direction was a dark, thick patch of jungle, cut off from the rest by a metal gate. There was some kind of warning sign over it - something about oversized animals, as far as she could guess.

 _Is it too late to nope out? ... Yeah, suppose it is._ Hazel took a deep breath and focused on the people in the plaza. There were a dozen, mostly gathered in pairs or small groups, and at least half of them sported mechanical prosthesis. Vector and Knuckles weren't there yet, however. Chaos, what if Eggman had captured them already? Anxiety began pooling in Hazel's chest. The Commander could hardly walk around in the open, with a fifty thousand ring bounty on his head. True, Vector had mentioned some sort of 'masterplan'... But what sort of masterplan could possibly work, against Eggman?

Finally, a familiar face appeared in the plaza. Or well, kinda familiar. Hazel squinted, taking a closer look. "You gotta be kidding" she breathed.

She was not prepared.

She was simply not prepared.

Exhibiting a curly blond wig, a jet black gown and bold red lipstick, Vector the Crocodile impudently sashayed across the plaza, stiletto heels clicking on the ground. Every now and then, when he thought nobody was looking, the thickset Taskmaster furtively adjusted the two round pillows hidden under his décolleté. Arm in arm with him was a female cat Hazel didn't know, but for whom the recruit felt immediate sympathy: the new girl had the look of someone who would have wished to be anywhere except there. Although much shorter than her flamboyant partner, she was still more muscular than the norm. She was very cute, too, garbed in a lacy red dress that swayed gracefully around her legs when she walked.

Hazel raised a hand in greeting. As the duo drew closer, the recruit noticed that the cat had a braid of black hair, swept over her shoulder... and the amethyst eyes of the Commander of the Resistance, narrowed into a look of purest chagrin.

"Hey, darling!" Vector called out in a very unlikely falsetto, wiggling his fingers at Hazel and dragging Knuckles along. "My, girl, don't you look stunning! You _must_ tell me where you got those shoes."

For a moment, Hazel just stared at them. Then, biting down on her lower lip to suppress the sudden, hysterical urge to laugh, she nonchalantly lifted the trim of her dress to show off her scratched combat boots. "Pretty trendy, right?" she whispered. "It's the new spring-summer collection from the famous fashion designer Ima Peasant."

"Very funny, you two" Knuckles growled through his teeth. "Lingering here is dangerous, we're too exposed. And I don't like the way that creep over there keeps staring at my butt. Let's go before I make him eat his teeth with a punch."

They moved out of the plaza and closer to the nightclub. As they walked past a grey fox - who was, indeed, ogling Knuckles with a certain interest - the three of them distinctly heard the vulpine whistle in appreciation. "This must be my lucky night. Up for a drink and a dance, kitty?"

"That's it, I'll freaking murder his face. I mean..." The Commander cleared his throat and smiled to the fox, trying to sound as feminine and suave as possible: "Haha, I'm a bit busy now! Maybe some other time, okay?"

The fox looked Knuckles up and down; a slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I'll be at the Heartbreak Hotel later, honey. You can come say hi whenever you want... and you can bring your friends too. Ask for Morty."

"Oooh, sure. See you later!"

The fox languidly winked at him, and Knuckles forced out a rather unconvinced giggle. As they stepped away from his admirer, the Commander pretended to puke into his barrel bag.

Hazel chucklesnorted. "Smooth, sir."

"If one word of this gets out…" the echidna grumbled, his voice far less twittery and more reminiscent of his usual deep growl.

"Your secret is safe with us" the hedgehog reassured him.

"Relax, boss, what happens in the Jungle Mystic Jungle stays in the Mystic Jungle" Vector whispered, fighting back a grin.

"If _one_ word of this gets out, I swear Eggman will become the last of your problems, 'cause I'll freaking strangle you both first! Don't you dare mention it to anybody, is that clear? Especially not to that smartass bat-"

" _Ooh la la, Knuckie, I could almost be jealous"_ Rouge cooed in everyone's ears, forcing Hazel and Vector to stifle another fit of laughter, while Knuckles' face turned an alarming shade of purple.

"Stop messing around and focus, you idiots! This is a task of utmost importance!" The echidna crossed his arms over the sweetheart neckline of his dress, evidently trying to cling to his last bits of dignity. "Rouge, what's the situation up there?"

 _"The security system is at my mercy. One word, and I'll shut down this toy for good."_

"Storm?"

Squad Leader Storm was in charge of the Cerberus forces, for that mission. Hazel couldn't hear his reply; but Knuckles nodded. "Great. My team will get in position in a moment. Vect - Victoria, lead the way."

"On it!"

Electric blue and magenta light beams glittered above the palace-nightclub, flitting and flashing to the rhythm of the music. The outer walls were adorned by a plethora of halogen bulbs, arranged in the shape of papyrus and lotus flowers, forming an artificial and incredibly tacky garden all around the building. The entrance was packed full with people, all of whom looked way older than Hazel and dressed in fancy robes; several robotic bouncers were stationed in front of the main doors, keen on searching anyone about to enter.

"We don't have to get in, do we?" Hazel whispered.

"Nah, this way" Vector muttered.

They gingerly walked around the main portico of the nightclub and towards the dark of its backyard, nearer and nearer to the metal gates separating the palaces from the jungle patch. Literally _as soon_ as they stepped out of the light and into the safety of a niche, Knuckles ripped himself free from the dress, which fell in a frilly heap on the grass, followed by the wig and the fake cat ears. It took a little longer to free Vector from his gown, but no longer than two minutes later the Taskmaster was getting rid of the pillows and kicking away his stilettos.

Hazel removed the dress she'd thrown over the combat suit and put on her forehead visor. The contact of the metal mesh against her skin felt cool and strangely reassuring. "That disguise was great, by the way. Seriously, you guys almost got me for a moment."

"Deceptive covering is part of the Sphinx training" Vector said, strapping his boots on. "You never know when a good disguise can come in handy. Right, Commander?"

Knuckles rolled his eyes.

He and the Sphinx Taskmaster had also concluded to wear their combat suits under their costumes. Both armors looked heavier and thicker than Hazel's, evidently designed to augment the strength and resilience of their owners rather than their agility. Knuckles' black outfit, adorned with fierce red accents, was complemented by padded shoulders and - quite fittingly - sharpened brass knuckles embedded into the gauntlets. Vector's, on the other hand, sported a camo jacket in grey and green shades; straps and clasps ran along its border, and a remarkable collection of receptacles of various types were fastened to his several belts.

"What's all this stuff for?" Hazel asked.

"You'll find out in due time."

"Is 'you'll find out in due time' your favorite answer to anything?"

"What can I say, I like keeping one or two tricks up my sleeve."

Vector grinned sheepishly, and Hazel shook her head.

"Once the security system is down, we won't have much time before Eggman's flunkies realize something's off." Knuckles cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, evidently a lot more comfortable without the lacy disguise. "The Egghead himself shouldn't be here, but that doesn't mean this will be a walk in the park. You two ready?"

The hedgehog nodded, although a bit nervously.

"One moment..." Vector rummaged among the vegetation and pulled out what the recruit at first mistook for a particularly bushy shrub, before realizing it was a backpack: a skillfully camouflaged backpack, covered in fake vines and leaves. "Yeah! Armed and ready."

After hiding their costumes, the three of them made their way up the fire escape of the nightclub. The stairway snaked its way up the wall and eventually spiraled around one of the several towers crowning the palace. Lucky for the agents, most of it was left in the dark, partly sheltered from sight by the blinding glow of the neon constructions that decorated the walls. However, that didn't change the fact that anyone looking up might have spotted them; and Hazel climbed as fast as she could, feeling more exposed than ever, only daring to slow down and catch her breath once they reached the rooftop of the tower.

Up there, the Mystic Jungle seemed definitely quieter. Gusts of wind ruffled Hazel's spines, biting into what little skin the combat suit left bare. Rubbing her arms, she glanced around. It took her a few moments to find the Aethernity Labs: Eggman's research facility lay half-hidden in the jungle, a shadow among shadows, and even from that height it would have been very difficult to spot, had she not known its location.

"There it is." Knuckles slammed his fists together, eager for action. "Payback time, Eggman."

"Um, yeah, but…" Hazel peered down. A couple hundred yards separated the rooftop of the palace from the facility - and most of that length was covered in thick jungle vegetation. "How are we going to get there, exactly?"

"By flying, of course" said Knuckles offhandedly.

"... What?"

"You heard him." Vector adjusted the backpack on his shoulders. "We don't have much time. Quick, you two, hang on to me and hold tight."

Hazel opened her mouth, then closed it again. Knuckles grabbed two of the straps dangling from Vector's combat suit and tied himself to the Taskmaster. "Just don't get used to all this... closeness and stuff."

 _"Ooh, has the cuddling begun already?"_

"Shut up Rouge!"

"W-wait a moment… Are you for real?" Hazel asked, dumbfounded.

Vector flashed her a broad, cocky grin, and motioned for her to come grab a strap. "Just leave it to me, rookie. Let me show you why I'm the Taskmaster of the infiltration unit."

Not without hesitation, Hazel stepped forward and cautiously seized two straps of her own, making sure to wrap them around her hands several times and cling to the crocodile's side as tightly as she could. For good measure, Vector enveloped his burly arms around the two smaller agents, then he confidently strode towards the edge of the roof. Swallowing, Hazel dared to toss a glance down, and instantaneously regretted it. Below them there was nothing but wind, darkness, and a ten-story fall.

In hindsight, that should have been the first sign Hazel's evening was about to take a turn and notch yet another point to her personal List of Terrible Life Decisions, right under 'throwing a pebble to a ginormous battlemech on a killing spree'. But the blissfully starry-eyed recruit didn't know that yet.

"Vector" she began, in a tone that desperately wanted to be calm but ended up sounding like a squeak. "Are you one hundred percent _sure_ this is a good idea?"

"Trust me, it will be a blast. You guys ready? Yes? Grand! Three... "

Hazel gritted her teeth.

"Two…"

Her fingers sank into Vector's armor, holding on for dear life.

"One…"

As she buried her face against the Taskmaster's chest and squeezed her eyes shut, Hazel bitterly regretted, and not for the first time, ever setting foot into the Hornets' Nest. But it was a bit too late for that.

"Let's go!" Vector got a running start and threw himself off the roof.

For an eternal, horrifying moment the trio simply plunged into the dark. Hazel's stomach did a backflip and hopped onto her throat; she was suddenly, stupidly glad her face was pressed against the Taskmaster's combat suit, because otherwise - as gusts of frozen wind whipped her quills and clawed at her outfit and oh Chaos, they were plummeting towards certain death! - she felt she could have screamed and screamed and screamed until her vocal cords broke.

Then, something _snapped_ and unfurled above her head. Their fall came to an abrupt stop. Still fiercely clinging to Vector, Hazel cracked one eye open. They were gliding through the air, suspended on the two large wings jutting out from the Taskmaster's backpack. They'd already left the gates behind, and now the jungle overgrowth slid underneath them in all its dark, wild glory. Amazed, Hazel glanced up: the mechanical framework of the wings was complemented by several small contraptions, that promptly inflated or deflated as Vector leant back and veered to avoid the treetops.

They were flying. They were actually flying.

Their passage however didn't go unnoticed. The thick foliage down below quivered, and something stirred among the shadows. Something _enormous_. Hazel turned her head, her heart skipping a beat as the largest snake she'd ever seen slowly rose from the jungle. The colossal beast lazily tasted the air with a flick of its tongue; then its beady eyes - each about the size of a bowling ball - fixated on its preys. Without further ado, the snake stretched _too many_ coils of mud-brown scales and began slithering towards them.

"Vector…!" Hazel cried out.

"Yeah, yeah, I _noticed_ it!"

Snapping its jaws, the snake lunged at them - and narrowly missed them as the glider skillfully veered to the left, swerving out of its reach just in time. Hazel felt the Wispon in her haversack bounce and bump against her back. She tightened her hold on Vector. "We're gonna die!" she yelled.

"Well, _I_ am for sure! You're strangling me, woman!"

Unwilling to let its newly elected snack get away, the titanic-sized serpent twisted and turned, about to attack again.

The Aethernity Labs were in clear sight, now. Hazel caught a brief glimpse of it - an L-shaped building with overhanging glass panels, surrounded by tall electrified gates - before Vector steered the glider, flying around the corner of the structure to escape the snake.

"Almost there!" exclaimed the Taskmaster.

"I'm ready!" came Knuckles' reply.

"R-ready for what?" In doubt, Hazel clutched Vector even tighter.

Knuckles was fiddling with a metallic cylinder, which he firmly fastened around his own wrist and then pointed to the research facility as they flew closer. "For this!"

With a sharp hiss, the grappling hook shot through the night and latched itself onto the rooftop of the Labs. The trio were suddenly propelled up and forward; Vector steered the glider to soar above the electrified gates and better absorb the impact. His boots met the wall with a thud. Clicking softly, the two wings folded themselves and retracted back into the rucksack.

The three agents were now dangling from the rope, over one hundred feet up in the air. This time, Hazel didn't make the mistake to look down, although she couldn't help cast a worried glance behind her shoulder: beyond the buzzing gates, a rustle of coils vanishing in the dark told her that the snake had at last given up. She sighed, relieved.

"That was... um, s-something."

"All in a day's work, recruit" Knuckles muttered somewhere on the right, on Vector's other side. "Nice and slow, now..."

The rope connecting the grappling hook to the Commander's wrist clicked as he began furling it. At the same time, Vector pulled on the rope; putting his remarkable strength to the test, the Taskmaster started hoisting himself and his companions up, bit by bit, meter after meter. Unsure about how to help, Hazel gazed around, keeping an eye out for any sign of life. The facility however was dark and silent, looking almost abandoned.

Conquering the top one step at the time, the three agents managed to climb up the wall and pull themselves over the roof of the facility. Once back on solid ground, the recruit slumped down to the floor, her legs trembling violently. Knuckles sealed the grappling hook back into its cylinder, which he then gave back to Vector. "I must admit, V, that device of yours was pretty awesome."

Vector shot him a wide grin and flexed. " _Awesome_ is my middle name, man."

"Yeah, whatever." Knuckles briefly grinned back, before turning serious. "Alright, guys. Hate to be the killjoy, but we must be on our way. There goes the easy part."

" _That_ was the easy part?" Hazel exhaled.

"Our biggest problem won't be getting in, but getting _out_ " Knuckles warned them. "Now it's time to step up our game, so stay on your guard and keep your eyes peeled."

"Gotcha, boss."

"Y-yes, sir."

With a sigh, Hazel drew her Wispon and pulled herself back to her feet.

A metallic door overlooked the rooftop, leading to the inside of the building. The trio snuck closer to investigate it. It soon became clear that the smooth, steely surface didn't present any handle nor any other means to open it, at least from the outside.

"Of-freaking-course" Knuckles snorted. "Stand back, you two. We'll have to do things old school."

He was about to strike it with a punch, when the door suddenly slid open on its own. Hazel flinched, expecting to see Eggman's robots; relief washed over her as she recognized the sensual figure languidly leaning against the doorframe.

"Knock knock, who's there?" Rouge smirked. "Were you planning to bust down the door? So much for a stealthy approach, Knuckie."

The Commander relaxed his stance some. "This isn't where we were supposed to meet up."

"You were taking too long. I was starting to think something happened."

"Yeah, we bumped into a little... complication."

"What kind of complication?" Rouge inquired.

"Well..." Hazel shivered. "A giant, scaly complication that would have been very happy to turn us into breakfast."

"I see." The bat's smirk widened, but she looked relieved. "Good thing you're all alive and in one piece then."

"Of course, we're the Resistance" said Vector with a cocky grin. "Back to the business at hand. What's the situation with the cameras? Traps?"

"All clear." Rouge nonchalantly adjusted her gloves. "Disabling them was a piece of cake. That was a cute attempt, on Eggman's end, but I'm way out of his league."

"Hate to say it, but thanks Rouge."

"You're very welcome, Knuckie."

"Can't you stop calling me like that?"

"Hmm..." The bat stroke her chin, pretending to think about it, before shrugging. "No."

The Commander glared at her, then sighed and tapped the communicator on his collar. "Storm, can you hear me? We're in. Cerberus Unit, begin operation Bullscharge."

"Man, who picks the names of the ops? They always suck."

"Shut up Rouge!"

The quartet snuck into the passage and made their way down a staircase, Rouge on the lead. She paused on the last step and lifted her closed fist, motioning for the group to stay put; only after some moments of pristine silence did Rouge gesture for them to come closer.

"Path's clear. Let's go" she whispered.

They dashed along a narrow, metal-tiled passageway, then down another flight of stairs. As they ran, Hazel spotted several cameras, lenses glistening in the neon light, but Rouge, Knuckles and Vector raced past them without a second thought. The thief noticed the hedgehog's hesitation, and smirked.

"I told you, newbie. Shutting down the security system was a joke. No treasure is safe with me in town... as Knuckie knows all too well."

"First we take down Eggman, then we'll talk." Knuckles glowered at the bat. "I still have a score to settle with you."

"Oh, I can't wait!" Rouge winked at him, causing the red echidna to grumble again.

Vector sniggered, but mercifully came to the rescue of his friend. "So, what can you tell us about this place, Rouge?"

"Eggman seems obsessed with protecting it. It's way more heavily guarded than your average imperial facility and there are cameras everywhere - _everywhere_ , restrooms included, which made me wonder things I honestly had to no wish to muse on. I was also able to pick up some strange readings. There's a pretty big chance the original Phantom Ruby might be here, according to my friends."

"Your friends?"

Rouge pretended not to hear Hazel. "In which case" she continued "we better be extracareful. A flick on the Phantom Ruby, and we won't be able to trust our eyes anymore. Virtually _anything_ could be an illusion."

"Got it." Knuckles nodded. "Where do those signals come from?"

"There are two high-security vaults ahead on this floor, and the Phantom Ruby could be in either. We'll have to split up."

Knuckles briefly glanced to his fellow agents. "Vector and rookie, you'll tackle one. The annoying woman and I will take care of the other."

Hazel and Vector both nodded.

"O-okay."

"Leave it to us."

"You might need this." Without slowing down, Rouge held out a magnetic stripe card.

Hazel took it. She'd seen this kind of cards before: the E-Guards used them to access the most protected sectors of the Redgate Refinery. "A keycard... Where did you find it?"

"Palmed it from one of the guard bots. It's not like it will need it anymore."

They parted ways at the following crossroad. The hallway picked by Hazel and Vector curved to the left, then proceeded in a straight line bathed in the glow of the neon light. Hedgehog and crocodile ran side by side, on the lookout, but nobody was in sight.

"Didn't Rouge say this place is super guarded?" Hazel asked nervously. "Just where's everyone?"

"Storm's diversion worked, I guess. If we can get to the vault without running into anyone, all the better."

"We just totally jinxed ourselves, didn't we?"

"Yep."

They weren't even halfway in when four silhouettes made their appearance on the other end of the hallway. Lustrous blue spikes and sharpened claws gleamed in the glow of the neon lights. Robotic red optics flickered, locking on the two intruders. Moving with flawless synchrony, the Metal Sonics activated their jet engines and sped through the hallway at the same time, lunging at the trespassers.

Hazel raised her Wispon and cast a look at Vector.

"Fight?" she asked.

"Fight" he confirmed.

Three energy bullets erupted from Hazel's Wispon, hitting two Metal Sonics in midair and causing them to crash down. With a roar, Vector charged forward, ducked under the kick of a robot and grabbed it by its ankle. The Taskmaster then spun on himself, whirling the unlucky machine in his clutches and slamming it in the face of the last Metal Sonic still standing. In a moment, Hazel was by his side, and they swiftly swapped targets: the hedgehog focused on the two Metal Sonics knocked down by Vector, shooting at them until they were reduced to a twitching metal heap on the floor, while the Taskmaster pounced on the robots previously targeted by Hazel, quickly finishing them off with a few well aimed punches.

The defeated Metal Sonics scattered in a burst of ghostly red cubes.

"More clones..." Hazel raised her eyebrow, worried. "Just like in Seaside Hill."

"Well, they weren't much of a challenge" said Vector, cracking his knuckles. "Let's push on, we don't wanna stay here longer than necessary."

They sprinted down the hallway. Hazel gripped her Wispon stiffly, expecting to meet more robots any moment, but nothing else emerged from the corridor. At last, the two Resistance agents reached a metallic, square door. It didn't have any handle, just like the door on the rooftop, but a boxlike device beeped softly on its side, displaying a small monitor and a magnetic reading head.

"This should do the trick… I think." Hazel swiped Rouge's keycard past the transducer.

A green light flashed through the monitor, and the door slid open.

A wide, brightly illuminated room presented itself to the two agents. It was filled with polished steel furniture and towering shelving units that rose all the way up to the ceiling, intertwining into a metal maze. The room was made up of several sections, judging by the number of signboards reading _A-1, A-2, A-3_ all the way up to _A-17_ that could be seen hanging from the furniture.

"Is this the vault Rouge was talking about?" Hazel asked.

"No, getting in was way too easy." Vector shook his head. "These must be Eggman's archives. How-"

He suddenly growled out in pain, clutching his shoulder: a jet of red light had hit him from behind. He and Hazel turned around to see a wave of Metal Sonics flooding the hallway - not just three or four, but dozens and dozens of murderous, red-opticed robots. And they were literally multiplying _out of thin air_ in front of them.

"Run?" Hazel cried out.

"Run!" Vector confirmed, diving into the maze of shelves.

The hedgehog was about to follow in tow, when she spotted a second boxlike machine on the inside of the room. She quickly reached out to it and swiped the keycard past the magnetic reader, sealing the door shut again, before sprinting after Vector.

Her little stunt didn't buy them nearly as much time as she hoped. Less than three seconds later, a powerful blast tore down the door, steel bits flying around everywhere. Hazel ducked her head and threw herself into the closest section, the clanging steps of the metal horde echoing behind her. Without daring to look back, the hedgehog dashed through the labyrinth of shelves. She caught a glimpse of grey and green in front of her as Vector preceded her in the heart of the archives; before she could follow him into section C-5, however, another jet of red light shot right past her and struck the shelves ahead, causing them to crash down on her path. Catalogues, folders and receptacles hit the ground in a rain of alloy and burnt plastic.

"Dammit...!"

Staggering on her feet, Hazel sidestepped to avoid the sudden obstacle; she continued her run into a different section, now separated from Vector by a wall of shelving units.

"Rookie, are you okay?" Vector called out, somewhere on her left.

"Y-yeah!" Hazel called back. "Just taking a little, er - detour!"

"Hold on, let's see if _this_ can keep our new friends busy!"

Whatever Vector was doing, moments later a loud detonation resounded behind them, followed by a cacophony of clanks and chinking sounds. Heart racing, Hazel ran at top speed across the following section, taking advantage of the diversion to knock down some shelves at her passage.

And then she heard it.

It began like a soft, distant music, silvery notes interwoven into a twistedly, painfully familiar song. It seemed to come from the depths of the archives. Hazel perked up her ears.

"Vector... Listen, you hear that?"

"What, this?"

Another detonation boomed behind her, but oddly enough, it didn't cover the melody.

"No, the song!"

That gentle sound stubbornly tugged at Hazel's brain, calling her, beckoning to her. The hedgehog swerved to the side and into yet another section, instinctively seeking for its source. It seemed to grow a bit clearer at each step.

But not even that strange song could distract her from the Metal Sonics. In spite of Vector's diversions, the machines were getting closer. Hazel could hear them clattering down the archives, ever louder, keen on their search-and-destroy mission. A third explosion shook the shelves somewhere on her left. Struggling to fight back the waves of panic twirling her stomach, Hazel slipped through a fissure between two shelving units, and found herself before a wall. Not too far from there was an air vent, protected by a heavy metal lid. Without a second thought, Hazel charged up her Wispon and pointed at it. She knew what Silver would have done here. The surge of blue energy easily broke through the lid, granting her an exit.

"Vector, this way!" she called out.

Nobody answered.

"Vector?" Hazel looked over her shoulder, but all she could see was a labyrinth of shelves and furniture. A sharp needle of anguish pierced through her chest. "Vector! Are you okay?"

A jet of crimson light bolted past Hazel and hit the wall behind her. With a yelp, the hedgehog turned tail and squeezed herself through the opened vent, letting herself drop down. The descent only took a few seconds, but it seemed to go on forever; and when it ended it was with a thud and a "Ow!", as the hedgehog ungracefully met the bottom of the ventilation shaft. Without daring to stop, not with the robots so close still, Hazel started frenziedly crawling through the pitch darkness, feeling the metal under her hands and knees. She had no idea where she was going, but she could see a speck of light in the distance.

"Commander... Rouge!" she whispered in her mic. "Can you hear me?"

Silence.

"Someone… anyone?"

The only answer came in the form of a low, static buzz. An interference in the signal... either that, or the communicators had been destroyed.

The purest despair Hazel had ever experienced engulfed her like a tsunami. She felt the sudden, overwhelming urge to just curl up and cry herself to oblivion, but her survival instinct was stronger. The silvery song still resounded in her head, more soothing than ever. Praying with every fiber of herself that her newfound allies were still alive, Hazel wormed her way to the light.

The end of the ventilation shaft was blocked off by metal bars. After peering through them and making sure the following room was empty, Hazel blasted the obstacle off with a few energy projectiles. She carefully slipped out of the duct.

The new, dimly lit chamber looked only a little smaller than the archives, and teeming with rows and rows and _rows_ of identical capsules, each equipped with a number of pipes and cables. Those stocky vessels of glass and metal beeped and gleamed eerily in the half-shadow; most of them were empty, but some contained strange minerals or odd items, such as a black scepter and a conch. She didn't miss how a few capsules looked made to contain _people._

Hazel tiptoed among them in slow, cautious steps, holding her breath. For a moment she just gulped and stared, paralyzed by a nameless fear; then that soft, silvery melody called out to her again, more urgently. The hedgehog advanced further, her steps irresistibly drawn to a capsule in particular.

And finally the song faded. Hazel stopped, and looked up.

Behind the glass surface of the machine was a crystal shard, roughly shaped as a tear. It was black, as black as the abyss she'd glimpsed at during her journey on the Sea Fox, and just as mysteriously beautiful. Flickers of gold played with the hundreds of facets adorning its surface; just like - Hazel suddenly remembered - similar golden reflections had once skimmed the dark bark of the Obsidian Tree. The edge of the crystal looked strangely scratched and dented, as if a large chunk of the gem had been severed off.

Hazel set her hand on the glass; behind her forehead visor, her eyes closed. The silvery sound returned, no longer a song, but an incredibly melodic voice, gently rustling through the back of her head. She knew that voice. A more primordial, dormant side of her had always known it. It was the same voice she could hear sometimes in her sleep, the same voice that had tried to reach out to her on the day Infinite had destroyed Tourmaline Town.

Now it was a bit louder, perhaps, although still unintelligible... until a single, silvery thought - more impression than spoken word - shot vividly through her mind.

 _DANGER._

Hazel's eyes snapped open. A crimson reflection gleamed on the Obsidian.

She immediately threw herself to the side, and the blow whistled right past her ear, missing her head for an inch. The hedgehog pivoted on herself and pointed her Wispon at the new threat - but before she could even take aim, a brutal kick sent her weapon fly off her grip, and a split moment later a second strike hit her straight in her abdomen, hurling her backwards. With a groan, Hazel hit the floor, rolled over and scrambled back to her feet. Her eyes locked on her opponent.

All of a sudden, her blood turned into ice.

Levitating a few feet from the ground, Infinite stared down at her, his right arm still outstretched. A sinister crimson shimmer surrounded him like a halo; his single, yellow eye glowed like molten iron through the lightning bolt-shaped visor of his mask.

"And what have we here? An unexpected visitor, although _thief_ may be more accurate." It was that very same smooth, dispassionate voice that haunted Hazel's nightmares - except this time the jackal standing right in front of her was all too real.

Hazel looked back at Infinite. Her Wispon lay somewhere in the dark, out of her reach. Not that it mattered.

There was no way she could get out of here alive. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and nobody to turn to.

* * *

Hallo!

Another chapter in just a few days, yay! And this one was insanely fun to write! Bad news for you, however - if you're reading this, it means your brain has probably gone koalas by now. And speaking of koalas, a giaaaant koala plushie to **Steel Fairy** for their review. Thank you so much! /throws love and heart and chocolate in the face/

A big shoutout for all those who fav/followed the story! Welcome on board, justinq719, MrMarioluigi1000 and DustyClouds!

I hope you enjoyed the read.

Syrence, out!~


	8. Confrontation

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **8**

 **Confrontation**

Hazel blankly stared up at her opponent. For a moment, she forgot how to speak; her brain seemed to have gone completely numb, except for those icy streaks of fear that froze her vitals and chilled her to the core. The laboratory was far from cold, but she shivered as if in fever. Exhaling slowly, the hedgehog dug her fingernails into her palm. It was with supreme effort that she managed to force out a small, hoarse whisper: "Infinite…"

The bearer of the Phantom Ruby levitated in the air before her, still enshrouded in his eerie red aura. In the half light of the vault, his golden eye glowed sinisterly under the metal mask. "Have we met before, or have you heard about me? Either way, I'm pleased to see I made my mark." He extended his hand towards her. "Answer my questions, and I promise your demise will be a swift one. Who sent you?"

Hazel didn't reply. She desperately longed to run, run and run until her lungs popped, run to the edge of the known world and far beyond, but her legs felt as heavy as lead. Her Wispon lay on the floor ahead, but she didn't even try to reach for it. Nothing mattered and nothing made sense. Infinite was here and she was going to die.

The jackal tilted his head forward, looking down at her. His tone went from impassive to disappointed. "We haven't started yet, and you're quivering already. Pathetic."

He swooped down on her, haloed in crimson light. Suddenly stirring from her trance-like state, Hazel rolled forward, barely managing to dodge the first assault - but his following kick hit her side and sent her flying between two rows of capsules. Before her body could even _touch_ the ground, a dark gloved hand had seized her neck; and a moment later her back was powerfully, painfully slammed against the floor, the wind knocked out of her lungs.

An explosion of agony shot through Hazel's body. Gasping for air, she frantically clawed at the grip squeezing her throat. A blur of iron and gold flashed before her eyes; the jackal's mask hovered above her face, too close for her comfort.

"Who sent you?" Infinite repeated with a growl.

"N-no one!" she croaked. "I'm a… treasure hunter…"

"Liar."

The grasp around her neck tightened, her collar clasped into a hot ring of torment. Hazel squirmed and writhed on the floor, struggling tooth and nail to break free, but it was like attempting to scratch a brick wall. Black dots were slowly obscuring her vision, jabs of pain igniting her chest.

For a surreal moment, it felt as if those last four years had never passed. Now as then, she was still helplessly immobilized on the ground and Infinite's hand was still pressed against her jugular. For the second time in her life, Hazel saw death staring at her through the jackal's indifferent gaze, and this time around he wouldn't have spared her. The hedgehog still fought back, as fiercely as she could, but her movements were sluggish, growing weaker by the second… More and more black dots swam in her vision, Infinite's mask was fading into darkness…

Then something shimmered out of the corner of her eye.

Hazel reached out, her fingers closing around the muzzle of her Wispon. Mustering what little energy she still had, she smacked Infinite across the face with the gun. The butt of the weapon hit his right cheekbone, just below his blind optic, catching the jackal by surprise and causing him to snap his head to the side. For a second his grip around Hazel's throat went slack. It was the distraction of a moment, but it sufficed: the recruit jumped at the occasion to wriggle free from his grasp and leap on her feet, hastily diving behind the closest capsule to avoid the red beam that shot through the air and singed the external layer of her sleeve.

"You're going to regret that, you sniveling little rat…"

Hazel crouched down and brandished the Wispon. Her neck still hurt like hell, as though a red-hot choker was wrapped around it, each breath was a stab of pain to her throat... and yet she couldn't help but gulp huge, blissful mouthfuls of air, loving every inhalation that pierced her lungs. Her brain drowned in an ocean of fear, gut-wrenching, overwhelming, absolute fear, but even stronger than fear itself was the survival instinct rushing through her blood, screaming through her every bristle.

She would have died tonight, both she and Infinite knew it. But she wouldn't have gone down without a fight - or a flight.

Pressing her knuckles against her mouth to stifle a whimper, Hazel attempted to dash off towards the opened vent, hoping to get a little further away from the jackal. Almost immediately, a ball of glowing red energy flew right past her ear, and she quickly leapt behind the cover of another capsule.

"Aren't we a bit too old to play hide-and-seek?" Infinite called out.

Hazel hunkered down again, cringing. She tried to force herself to reason, there _had_ to be something she could do. But she couldn't think of anything, and her time was running out.

Unless…

Hazel closed her eyes.

 _Obsidian stuff!_ she prayed fervently in her mind. She thought she could hear a few, faint silvery notes in response to her call. _I know you're there, so please... do the thing! Help me!_

The notes resounded again… and faded away.

Nothing happened.

"Figures" Hazel muttered under her breath.

She opened her eyes and got up, prepared to make a sprint for another capsule. Before she could make a move, however, a familiar eerie sound rang through her ears and her vision suddenly reddened, as though she was seeing the world through a panel of colored glass.

"What are you…?" the hedgehog began, then she froze.

The room filled with capsules, the whole Aethernity Labs had completely vanished.

Instead, Hazel was now standing on top of a rocky cliff, surrounded by a sea of lava. The metallic floor under her boots had been replaced by black, barren, cinder-speckled stone; the ceiling by ominous dark skies, completely obscured by a cloak of swirling smoke. All around the cliff, the abyss of molten rock seethed and bubbled, a glowing inferno that cut off any escape.

Hazel blinked in horror, instinctively taking a step backwards. "W-what the heck is this?"

She couldn't stop herself from screaming when a fire geyser erupted right in front of her. Tears of flame sprayed and scorched the ground just a few feet away from herself. Panic pulsing through her veins, the recruit staggered backwards again.

"What's going on!" she shrieked.

"You didn't trespass this place on your own. Someone aided you." Fragmented bits of red light glitched and twitched in midair, quickly fusing together to compose Infinite's levitating form. He folded his arms across his chest, staring down at Hazel. "Someone clever and skilled enough to crack the security system of this facility. It narrows down to the insurrectionary herd, or that pitiful excuse for a guardian unit that still stubbornly clings to its old former glory. Which one you're serving is irrelevant, after all. Soon enough, both of them will either fall in line, or fall apart."

In the middle of her panic fit, Hazel somehow processed Infinite's words.

 _A guardian unit? But the G.U.N. got disbanded ages ago!_

She bit her tongue. She wouldn't have confirmed nor denied anything. Vector's lessons flashed through her brain - no matter how minimal, every bit of information her enemy didn't know was her advantage. Instead, her gaze fixated on the sinister red crystal embedded into Infinite's chest. _Is that it...? The Phantom Ruby?_

Rouge had said something about it. Something about how they wouldn't have been able to trust their eyes, as long as the Phantom Ruby was around. Perhaps, if she managed to destroy it...

Before she could muse further on the matter, Infinite threw a ball of crackling red energy in her direction. Hazel sprang to the side to avoid it, nimbly rolling on the ground to avoid the second crimson orb that split the rock right in front of her. The hedgehog brought herself up, anxiously searching for any kind of cover or hiding spot, but the barren rocks of the cliff offered no such luxury.

There was nothing she could do, aside trying to put up an impossible fight. She swallowed thickly. Her legs were trembling so much, it was a miracle they could still support her weight...

Hazel mentally slapped herself. _Oh for Chaos' sake, get a hold on yourself and be brave for once in your lifetime!_

"T-this is just an illusion, isn't it?" Gritting her teeth, she charged up her Wispon; blue sparkles crepitated around its muzzle. "It's going to take m-more than some flashy mirage to f-f-frighten me, you know."

She released a flurry of energy bullets towards Infinite, but before they could even graze him the jackal _shattered_ in a burst of twitching red cubes. Hazel perked up her ears, then nervously looked around. Infinite was nowhere in sight.

Finger on the trigger, she slowly moved to the center of the cliff. All around her, as far as the eye could see, the sea of lava hissed and seethed, occasionally discharging a geyser or a whirl of blake smoke.

Then, all of a sudden, a tremor shook the ground, so vigorously that Hazel fell to her knees. "W-whoa!"

The fire abyss in front of her bubbled more violently as something grey and black began emerging from the lava. The giant figure slowly rose up, tall enough to tower high above the cliff. It looked somewhat like Infinite - but horribly distorted and deformed, a grotesque replica of the jackal. Its unnaturally thin body seemed made of pulsating black sludge; and as the monster craned its neck to stare down at her, Hazel saw that its featureless face was a travesty of Infinite's mask, with glowing soulless slits where eyes should have been.

Hazel gaped at it, dumbstruck. Whatever bravado she'd felt immediately evaporated.

Infinite's voice echoed around and inside of her, everywhere and nowhere at once, laced with bitter amusement: "If this truly is _just an illusion_ , weakling, then stay still a moment longer…"

The monster raised an enormous black hand. Screaming, Hazel scrambled out of the way just before the hand came crashing down, tearing through the rocks as though they were made of paper and disintegrating a large chunk of the cliff. Several lumps of stone broke apart and caved in, plummeting into the lava below.

Hazel cried internally. _The scorpion thing, then the snake, then this… Why does it always have to be giant monsters?!_

Breathless, she cocked up the Wispon and took aim. She was trembling so much that only half of the energy projectiles she unleashed hit the target, in spite of its size. Not that it mattered; for all the good they did, Hazel might as well have shot confetti at it. The monster kept on trudging slowly through the lava, only its upper torso emerging from the molten rocks. Each of its movements caused the cliff to rattle violently under her feet.

"Please, please, please, let this be just some weird dream…" Hazel whispered to herself as she charged her Wispon again. "Yeah, now I'll surely wake up… any moment now… I o-only have to hold on a little longer..."

"Cease your delusions." This time, Infinite's voice came from a very specific spot.

Right behind her.

She turned around. The blow impacted her chest and flung her across what remained of the cliff, sending her beyond its brink; and she would have most likely fallen into the lava, had she not managed to grab the edge of the rock spur at the very last moment.

Gasping convulsively, Hazel held onto the cliff for dear life. Her boots desperately kicked at the rockwall searching for an impossible footing. The lava down beneath swirled and seethed, glowing red hot. The only thing separating her from a nasty incineration was the stubborn grip of her left hand on that rim of black stone, her right one still clutching the Wispon. She tried to pull herself up, to no avail; her feet kept on slipping on the brittle stone.

 _"... zel? Can you hear me?! Hazel!"_

"Amy!?" Hazel panicked. "Amy, help! The lab's a volcano, and Infinite's gonna kill me, and the floor is lava - literally!"

 _"... What?"_

"It's the lava! The _lava_! A giant monster just came out from it!"

 _"Calm down, rookie."_ This was Knuckles, his stern voice cracking through the communicator. The connection was working again, if barely; the static noises threatened to swallow the Commander's words any moment. _"What you're seeing isn't real. Do you understand? Whatever he's showing you, don't believe it! It's just an illusion triggered by the Phantom Ruby!"_

Another fire geyser bursted up beside Hazel, accompanied by a wave of mind-numbing heat. She shielded her face with her right arm, yelling out in pain as the smallest drop of liquid fire fell on her leg and burnt through the mesh of her combat suit. "I-illusion my foot! That felt definitely real!"

" _... zel? ... sio..._ _infor..._ "

"Oh, no no no!" Hazel cried. "Don't die on me, connection! Guys? Please, tell me you're still there..."

She interrupted herself: a shadow loomed over her, staring down at the hedgehog from the edge of the cliff.

"How graciously _thoughtful_ for the allies who left you behind to contact you now of all times." Infinite chuckled. "Would you like a minute of privacy to bid your farewell?"

"S-shut up" Hazel stammered, sweat trickling down her cheekbone.

"I'll take that as a 'no'. Bring my regards to your friends, then, and tell them I'm coming for them next... after I'm done with you, of course."

Hazel swallowed compulsively. That was the part of the fairytale where the cornered hero would have come up with a witty retort, then done something brave and magically turned the tables, just like that. But this was no fairytale, she was no hero, and her tongue was glued to the roof of her mouth as she desperately clung to the cliff, every fiber of her body focused on the effort to hold tight.

Charmy was wrong after all, Hazel thought miserably. The place she belonged was the refinery, sweeping floors and cleaning machines. She was never cut out to be a Resistance soldier.

"There's something else I wish to know, however." Infinite lightly rested his shoe on her hand, making her wince. "So, where is your leader?"

Hazel vigorously shook her head. "I d-don't know! Last I heard of him, he was heading to Westopolis."

"You know, I _do_ loathe liars... Almost as much as I loathe spineless cowards."

Infinite put more pressure on her hand. Hazel yelled as a stab of pain shot through her fingers and wrist, and it took every bit of strength she had not to let go. Her terror only increased as Infinite's monstrous copy edged closer to the cliff, tilting its massive mask-head to stare down at her. The long, almost serpentine-looking body bent forward as the nightmare lifted a black-clawed hand, ready to strike.

The real Infinite knelt down, forcing more weight on Hazel's hand and rousing another twinge in her bones. "Where is your leader?" he snarled again.

"He's…" Hating herself to the guts, Hazel closed her eyes and gave up. "... in the other… security... vault…"

"You knew of the second vault?" Infinite sounded mildly surprised.

"Y-yeah."

"Remarkable." He tapped his mask, pondering the information. "Resistance, or traitors?"

 _Traitors?_ "Res... istance..."

"Is that so? The Commander may be something more than a wayward gullible idiot after all. How did he find out about the vaults?"

"I don't know! I don't know anything about it!"

Just a second before Hazel lost her grip, Infinite reached down to seize her quills. In a swift, brutal movement he hauled Hazel up and hurled her to the other side of the cliff. The collision sent the hedgehog rolling over and over on the stone, groaning at each turn. When she finally came to a stop, she just lay there on her side, bruised and battered; sweat glued her frayed combat suit to her skin, and her every muscle seemed to be burning and screaming in pain. Her injured hand throbbed painfully.

But her good one was still clutching the Wispon.

Wearily propping herself up on her elbow, Hazel took aim and fired two energy bolts.

"You're obstinate…" Infinite deflected the projectiles with ease before vanishing in a flash of red light - only to reappear above Hazel. A swirl of ghostly cubes drifted in his wake. "I can respect that. Beg me to put you out of your misery, and I'll contemplate doing it reasonably quick."

In response, Hazel raised the gun and attempted to shoot at him point-blank. Infinite grabbed the muzzle of the Wispon to deviate the projectile, then tore the weapon off Hazel's grasp and struck her across her face, knocking her visor off. The headgear clattered on the ground, split apart by a large crack, followed shortly afterwards by the clack of her Wispon on the rocks.

Unarmed and wounded, Hazel looked up at her foe, breathing heavily. No longer concealed by her visor, her orange eyes were wide and filled with fear.

Infinite had brought his closed fist back, about to strike her with a punch; but he suddenly paused, as if realizing something. "You look familiar. We've met before, indubitably… Where?"

"In T-Tourmaline Town… four years ago" Hazel gasped. She carefully sat up, cradling her injured hand in her lap. "You… you burnt my village to the ground."

"Tourmaline Town… The settlement in Green Hill. Yes, I remember that operation." Infinite studied her exposed features a moment longer. "And I remember you." He nodded slowly, pensively. "The quivering child. No longer a child, but still afraid of me."

"I-I'm not!"

"To think you were even offered the possibility to live… But it's still exquisitely fitting for our little reunion to occur here, once again before the Obsidian you so like. I suppose you were simply eager to die before it."

As suddenly as it had begun, the illusion ended. Hazel winced as the sea of lava flickered and disappeared, reverting back to the shadows and metal walls of the Aethernity Labs. The cliff, the fire, the towering black monster - in the blink of an eye, it was all gone. She wasn't sitting on black stone, but on the floor of the vault; the steel tiles felt blissfully cool against her scorched skin. All around her, Eggman's capsules beeped faintly in the neon light.

"How?" she whispered. "That was more than an illusion… I mean, I felt it…" She brought herself to one knee, grimacing as a pang of white-hot pain ignited her singed leg. Illusion or not, the mesh layers over her left thigh had been ripped apart, revealing a nasty burn underneath. And judging by the throbbing pain in her left hand, her wrist and a number of fingers were probably sprained, if not broken.

Infinite levitated towards the capsule containing the Obsidian. The black gem shimmered gently within its prison of glass and steel.

"So this is the reason why you're here" he commented flatly. "You've come hoping against hope to secure one last remnant of that worthless village of yours. Pray tell... Are you even aware of what this is?"

"S-something that doesn't belong to you, nor to Eggman."

Hazel struggled to get up, but her leg hurt too much. Her Wispon lay before her, useless; not a single projectile had even come close to hurt Infinite. Her already laughable possibilities to outgun or outrun her opponent had officially dropped below zero. She balled her good hand into a fist.

But what made Hazel tremble, this time, wasn't fear. It was anger.

"How… how _could_ you!" she spat out. "Tourmaline Town surrendered ages ago, it was just as much part of the Empire as Metropolis - and you destroyed it! You destroyed the people Eggman swore to protect, just to get your hands on some weird crystal!"

"Incorrect. Butchering the rabble wasn't something I had in my plans." Infinite's stare calmly shifted from Hazel to the Obsidian. "It never was. Sad to say, the extermination of your kind was but an unfortunate side effect… another mistake on that foolish man's part. I was most disappointed by such display of idiocy."

Hazel gaped at him for a moment. "W-what are you talking about? I saw you! You attacked my town, k-killed Opal and the other Sentries…"

"Indeed. I got rid of the trash that tried to stand in my way. Those obnoxious weaklings you have the guts to call guardians thought they could cross me and survive, so I granted them one last lesson - in pain." Infinite's tone was neutral, even nonchalant, as if they were talking about the weather forecast for the night rather than mass murder. "But I had no intention to slay the peasants as well. The Doctor had no wish for that, either... every monarch needs people to rule over, don't you think? No, I was only there to retrieve this object now standing before your eyes. This object you decided to throw away your life for."

 _"...kie! Rookie..._ " Knuckles' voice somehow managed to reach Hazel's earpiece, cracking its way through the static interferences. _"If you can hear me… Hold on just one minute longer, alright? Reinforcements are coming! I promise you. We'll get you out of there! One minute!"_

Hazel ground her teeth, clinging to that burning, feverish thought: _Distract Infinite. Make him talk_. But her anger hadn't subsided quite yet.

"What happened, then? Why did my people have to get involved in Eggman's scheming?" She narrowed her eyes. "Why is the Obsidian Core so important to him?"

"That's hardly your business, and there's no point in wasting my breath now. You're about to die anyway." Infinite let out a snort. "Rest assured, the cause of your distress will soon perish as well, by my own hand, although for different reasons."

 _Fifty seconds._

"What reasons? Why... what's your game even?"

"Once again, none of your concern. What you should concern yourself about, right now, is something else entirely. You can blame your ignorance, or your bad luck, or those who claimed they were your allies but still abandoned you to the slaughter. Speaking of which..." Infinite tilted his head backwards, staring down at Hazel. "Tell me, aren't you going to cry for help? Have you surrendered to the fact nobody will come to save you?"

 _Forty seconds._

Hazel shook her head. "My friends will do what's right. The r-rest doesn't matter. I've seen the b-bigger picture, how Eggman treats his people - and I'd rather die than join the Empire again."

"Bold words, from a weakling whose only life purpose seems to be my personal entertainment." Infinite extended his gloved hand towards her. A red incandescence surrounded his palm. "Sadly, playtime's over. Now, I believe a special guest is awaiting me in the other vault... and you outlived your usefulness."

 _Thirty seconds._

Hazel tensed up. In her conditions, she doubted she could even try to crawl away, let alone run. She bit down on her lower lip, averting her gaze from Infinite to stare at the Obsidian trapped inside the capsule.

 _Obsidian thing, please - I heard your song, or whatever it was. If you can help me in any way, this would be a fantastic moment to do it! Eggman wants you, right? You must have some kind of power, so please, please, please... show it!_

The vaguest echo of the silvery song tugged at the back of her brain. Too distant, too weak. Hazel's shoulders slumped.

"Why are you even doing this, Infinite?" she whispered.

For a few moments, Infinite stood quiet, contemplating the crimson glow around his hand as if actually pondering the question. When he answered, his reply came sharp and bitter: "Because I must."

 _Twenty seconds…!_

He turned his head. "Farewell."

The crimson light consumed Hazel's vision. Her last thought flashed pristine: _The Commander, the Commander_ _is in trouble because of me, I need to warn him, I need to..._

The energy beam shot through Hazel's chest, piercing her from side to side. For a second, she remained perfectly still, as though crystallized; then her body went limp and collapsed onto the floor, motionless.

* * *

Hallo!

Aaaand roll credits, story's over, thanks everyone for your amazing support! See you around.

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:3

Jk, stay tuned for more! I hope you enjoyed the read.

Moar ninja notes!

So, battle chapter! And you can tell it's about Infy 'cause it's the eighth chapter, and if you rotate 8 you get the symbol of infinity! All planned, of course. I-it's not a coincidence or anything, I swear! /clears throat/ Ahem, totally, totally part of the plan, yes.

Something I should have kinda addressed earlier, probably? But better late than never! Hazel's white Wispon is based upon the gun-like Wispon used by Resistance soldiers in the quick flashback where Infinite attacks the City and kills everyone except the avatar. Nothing special about it in this story - nor in the game, I think? Anyway, here it's just the standard Resistance issue, a gun shooting energy projectiles, supposedly powered by regular White wisps. The only little quirk about it is that the longer you keep the trigger pressed, the more energy the bullet conveys. And the Wispon is depicted as white instead of aqua-colored 'cause, well, yeah, aforementioned white Wisp (and 'cause the original color scheme killed me. Matching aqua-green with dark purple and reddish-fuchsia, Sega? Really? Why the hell are you so keen on murdering our eyesight, when any other Wispon design follows the leitmotif of their own Wisp?) #RealProblemsWithSF

Let me take another moment to shower some wonderful cupcakes in glaucus atlanticus plushies. I'm talking about **Steel Fairy** , **AngelFox1994** , **Roundabout** , **man who thinks** , **Dragonfire719** , **DustyClouds** and **Infinite's Ruby**. Thank you for the reviews! /sprinkles in hearts/

Sorry, Angel, can't really answer your questions. ^^ /throws another plushie on/ Aside one - the dark figure siding with Jet wasn't Storm! Aaah, so much stuff to write, so little free time.

Well. Bye!

Syrence, out~! /vanishes into the night/


	9. Battle for Aethernity

**~ The White of the Sky ~**

* * *

 **9**

 **Battle for Aethernity**

At the entrance to the research facility, the battle raged hard.

Blood and machine oil alike stained the ground, corpses and metal scraps strewn all about the jungle patch. A hurricane of Wispon bullets, energy beams and laser projectiles flared back and forth across the battlefield, lighting up the tropical brush. Screams and war cries merged with the roar of explosions and the clattering of robotic bodies breaking apart. Eggman's defense bots easily outnumbered the Resistance soldiers two to one, but the latter were far from disheartened: what the Cerberus lacked in numbers they made up for with guts and firepower, and they were all too eager to prove it. Storm the Albatross was in the front row, barking directives and encouragements; his Wispon, reminiscent of a barreled hand-cannon, thundered louder than all, discharging shell after shell upon the hordes of killer machines.

One step at the time, the Resistance soldiers were slowly gaining ground.

At least until a certain spindle-shaped shadow appeared in the skies above the Aethernity Labs, obscuring the stars with its hovering presence. Storm and many other Resistance soldiers looked up. Some gasped, others cursed under their breath, but the burly albatross simply squinted at the war airship.

"Peacemakers..." he muttered.

Powerful gusts of wind whipped the fighters' faces as the _Eggsecutioner_ lowered itself closer and closer to the ground, the deep rumble of the generators shaking the air. There wasn't enough room for it to perform a proper landing, but it hardly mattered: the airship was still hovering several metres above the battlefield when the rear panel slid open and twenty-six figures threw themselves off it.

Jet engines flaring up, the battalion of Peacemakers glided to the ground to join their robotic allies in the defense of the facility. As usual, Eggman's chosen suppression corps were spearheaded by their captain. Vanadium however didn't glide: he _plummeted_ through the night in free fall, the gun-sword Arondight gleaming in his grip, diving into the battlefield like a steel meteor. At the very last minute, the cyborg twirled on himself and came crashing down onto one of the Resistance soldiers, killing the unlucky hedgehog on the spot and splitting the ground apart at the collision. The fall would have surely crushed a regular Mobian, but not him: Vanadium simply stood up and brushed off his metal spikes before jumping out of the small crater he'd just created.

"We'll take it from here" he stated in his flat, creaking voice.

The twenty-five Peacemakers landed behind him and immediately stepped into a grid formation, cocking up their laser guns. For the first time since the battle began, a moment of silence froze the air between the two factions, as if time itself had halted.

Then that moment shattered.

"Down with the Emperor!" a cat shouted, his voice echoed by loud cheers from the Resistance's side.

"The Peacemakers killed my brother, time for payback!"

"Let's destroy them!"

Vanadium cracked his mechanical neck and pointed Arondight to the Resistance forces. "Onwards, Peacemakers! Crush this organic filth!"

Mobian roars and mechanical whirrs filled the night, and the battle resumed, storming harder than before. Vanadium raced across the combat zone, dodging or slashing through the downpour of energy bullets raining down on him from all sides. With a dash, he struck down an enemy dog, grasped his face and yanked him to the side, sheltering himself behind the canine's body right as another soldier fired his Burst Wispon at him. Vanadium's mechanical jaws clicked in satisfaction as a stream of flames howled angrily around him, carbonizing his living shield but barely affecting his own kevlar skin. In a nimble maneuver, the cyborg tossed away what remained of the dog and pounced on the wielder of the Burst Wispon, stabbing his gun-sword into his chest.

Vanadium had to admit it, the Resistance was putting up a decent fight; but he was on another level. He cleaved through a small group of rebels, Arondight whistling as it severed mesh and flesh as if they were made of clay. With movements akin to deadly dance, the captain sidestepped to avoid the attack of a bird soldier, quickly rotated Arondight and sunk its blade into his foe's abdomen. The bird cried out in agony, blood trickling down her mouth. In a single, fluid motion Vanadium kicked the dying soldier away and freed the weapon, just in time to slash through the energy bolt a wolf soldier had shot at him. Taking advantage of his distraction, a mantis tried to sneak up on the cyborg from behind. Arondight clicked and whirred, blade and barrel shifting and switching position.

The mantis was still in midair when the first bullet intercepted his forehead - and his body hadn't hit the ground yet when a second projectile reached the wolf. The two soldiers fell down in a puddle of blood almost at the same time.

"Oh, double headshot" Vanadium casually commented to himself.

"You!" an enraged voice shouted.

Storm made his way across the battlefield and hurried towards Vanadium, demolishing two Peacemakers in the process. The albatross' bulky form easily towered over the captain's, but the latter just narrowed his natural eyes and stared up at him, his expression a mask of perfect indifference.

"Yes?"

"I know who you are, cyborg! And mark my words, you damned piece of junk, you're gonna pay for what you did to my soldiers!"

"Soldiers?" Vanadium perked his eyebrow. "Those squishy little things were trained military? My bad, I thought they were piles of wet waste left lying around by the E-Cleaners."

Storm roared and loaded his handcannon, and Vanadium jumped up; with a thundering explosion, the shell savagely devastated the spot where the cyborg had been half a second earlier. Vanadium did a backflip in midair and began his descent, bringing Arondight above his head and wielding it with both hands. Barrel and blade shifted and switched places again, the edge of the sword jutting out in a downward strike. An ear-splitting _screeeeeeech!_ resounded over the detonations and the roar of gunfire as Arondight darted towards Storm's head… and sharply clashed against the flat of his Wispon, lifted just in time to parry the attack.

"You think I'd have gone down so easily? Please." Behind their crossed weapons, Storm smirked darkly. "I can't wait to bring your head to the Commander. Thanks in advance, dude, this is going to earn me a nice promotion."

"Is it?" Vanadium asked, a tone of polite curiosity to his voice. "How are they going to promote you, if you're dead?"

He drew his arm back and disengaged - only to lunge forward again.

Storm's smirk still lingered on his beak when the gun-sword sank into his chest, all the way to the handle.

#

Darkness.

It was all Hazel could see, breathe, perceive. She plunged into it, deeper and deeper, like a pebble helplessly sinking to the bottom of the blackest ocean - and indeed, her limbs may have very well turned to stone, judging by how heavy and rigid they felt. A thin voice in the back of her mind begged her to fight, to hold on just a little longer, but there was no use; an intoxicatingly sweet daze enveloped her brain, turning her neurons into a mushy pulp of chloroform and cotton candy.

What was the point of fighting, anyway? A blissful quiet permeated the abyss around her. It felt nice here. There was nobody to battle, nothing to fear, nothing to run away from...

Nothing at all, really.

Except…

… _Don't… please, don't..._

As that gentle darkness slowly dragged Hazel ever downward, fragments of memories began swimming around her. Shapes and colors bloomed and fused together to paint new images in the void: an evening bathed in moonlight, spent sipping raspberry tea and watching the Obsidian Tree glimmer in the distance… The picture blurred away, and now sunrise was peeking from the horizon; a male hedgehog observed in silence as his ten-years-old daughter hopped around a row of evenly spaced out wooden poles, occasionally waving her arms around to keep her balance, training weights wrapped around her wrists and ankles…

" _Faster, Hazel."_

Then the poles, the village, the Obsidian Tree, everything burnt away and Hazel was in the refinery, and a certain bee kid had just bumped into her…

A tropical island, a silver hedgehog surrounded in a cyan halo swung a wave of telekinetic energy at Eggman's troops...

The Resistance headquarters, and a green crocodile was pacing back and forth, arms behind his back, rattling off the weak spots of an imperial facility…

A laboratory, and a masked jackal about to fire an energy blast.

Hazel sunk and watched, unable to divert her gaze, her head filling up with dread and unspoken apologies.

 _Sorry, dad. Looks like I'll never become the warrior you wanted me to be._

 _Sorry, Vector. I couldn't do anything to help you, please be still alive, somewhere, somehow._

 _Sorry, Commander. I didn't mean to betray you, I was just so afraid, don't die, don't die…_

 _Sorry, Charmy. You were wrong, I never had the mettle to be a Resistance agent._

 _Sorry, Rouge, you on the other hand were right. One hundred percent newbie… how could I think it would have ended any differently?_

Hazel's fall came to a sudden stop. She winced in surprise: there was something solid underneath her. The hedgehog opened her eyes - she had eyes...? A body? - and blinked in confusion.

Suddenly, another world burst to life around her.

The first thing she thought was that Infinite must have cast her in another hallucination. The sky arched above her head was the purest shade of white, sparkling with constellations of black stars, as if a mad artist had painted a new dimension inverting all the colors. Hazel cautiously sat up. She was in the middle of a vast flower field. Around her, everything was black and white: ink-colored grass, snow-colored blossoms, miles and miles of monochrome landscape stretched into infinity.

She was so flabbergasted that it took her a few moments to realize she wasn't alone. Someone else was standing among the flowers, at some distance from her: clad in flowing white robes trimmed in black, the stranger carried a gnarled staff and stared up ahead, her expression stern, as though contemplating a gathering storm at the horizon.

Hazel's heart gave a big leap: that person was… _herself?_ But… not really. The stranger's fur was chocolate brown, her eyes a slightly paler tone of orange, her quills a bit shorter and elegantly curled at the tips. She looked a bit older, possibly around her mid-twenties, and carried herself with an air of grace and confidence that Hazel had never possessed. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.

"H… hello?" Hazel hesitatingly called out.

The other hedgehog didn't reply. She didn't even seem to notice her, really. But something else did: familiar, silvery notes began resounding all around, not just a vague echo in Hazel's head, but a powerful symphony that vibrated across the ground under her feet and rung through every grain of earth and bloom and constellation. The soothing, melodic voice she'd briefly heard in the Aethernity Labs reached her again, its words now perfectly understandable:

 _Through me, you repel the baneful_.

Hazel flinched. "Err… What?"

"Through you, I repel the baneful." It was the other hedgehog: the look on her face was vacant, absent, but her husky voice sounded calm and confident.

"Through you, I repel the baneful" someone else echoed her.

Hazel glanced around, surprised: a black cat had appeared behind her. Like the white-clad hedgehog, she stared straight at the horizon, although looking at the opposite direction.

"Opal!" Hazel exhaled.

Yes, it was the Sentry who had saved her life during the fall of Tourmaline Town... and who had died on that very day, as far as Hazel knew.

Right before her eyes, more and more figures began appearing out of thin air. A wolf, a rabbit, a lynx, several different kinds of birds, more hedgehogs, an elderly fox… all dressed in similar flowing white robes, all carrying gnarled staves. All speaking as one, they uttered the same prayer: "Through you, I repel the baneful."

Hazel gulped, her gaze lingering on Opal's shadow a moment longer. Then she took a deep breath and whispered: "Through you, I repel the baneful."

Suddenly, a strange sense of warmth surged up within her chest, making her gasp.

This was it. Hazel was now sure she had completely lost it.

The silvery voice spoke again. _Through me, you return the lost_.

"Through you, I return the lost" said the curly-quilled hedgehog.

"Through you, I return the lost" the others repeated.

Hazel hesitatingly joined the chorus: "Through you, I return the lost."

The warmth irradiated from her chest and spread through her muscles, her limbs. Although she couldn't see it, she could clearly _sense_ the link connecting her with all the Mobians gathered in that field, as though invisible threads were binding them to each other.

 _Through me, you restore the broken_ , continued the silvery voice.

"Through you, I restore the broken" Hazel muttered, and this time her voice perfectly fused with the others'. Now the odd feeling of warmth wasn't just _within_ her; it emanated from her form and spiraled all around her, running through the invisible threads. For just a moment, she had the fleeting, craziest feeling that her very essence was breaking out of her body; she wasn't just _Hazel_ , she was everyone standing in the flower field… or maybe everyone standing in the flower field was _her_ , tough to tell.

 _Through me, you reject fate's verdict_.

"Through you, I reject fate's verdict…"

As soon as Hazel whispered last those words, the strange world of black and white suddenly _cracked_ and dispersed in a thousand slivers of ink and snow, and the hedgehog found herself plummeting into the darkness once again...

But this time, her fall only lasted two seconds.

And it ended on something hard and very physical.

#

"Ow!"

Hazel massaged her back with a little grimace - only to freeze up a second later. Her vision was still a bit blurred, but the metal tiles under her body looked awfully familiar... All around her, the experimental capsules gleamed and beeped in the dim light. She was back into the Aethernity Labs.

 _Infinite._

With a gasp and a startle, she nervously glanced around, but the masked jackal wasn't there anymore. He must have left after… well. After killing her.

A chill ran up her spine. Hazel took a deep breath, then slowly, cautiously inspected her stomach, fearing what she may have seen. Her breastplate had been partly cracked, and the mesh around her exposed belly was frayed and half-burnt, torn apart by what had every right to be a deadly attack... and yet the skin underneath looked healthy, the fur intact. A look of disbelief on her face, Hazel checked her left hand: her fingers and wrist moved normally, no longer broken. The burn on her leg was gone, too - just like any other cut and bruise on her body, as far as she could tell. She carefully placed a hand on her back, quickly drawing it back as she felt the callous, irregular scars left by the plasma whips. Correction: all except those…

Still, that didn't change the fact that everything else had been somehow fixed. But she couldn't possibly be alive... Heck, she wasn't _supposed_ to be alive.

"Is this some kind of hallucination?" she mumbled to herself.

As though waking up from a long trance, Hazel blinked and snapped her gaze to the black gemstone sealed inside the capsule before her. The hedgehog scrambled to her feet and stumbled her way to the capsule, resting her hands on the protective glass.

"It was you, wasn't it, Obsidian thing?" she asked hotly. "You saved my life. How… why? What happened?"

She shut her eyes and focused, but this time she didn't hear any silvery note. Hazel stayed silent for a few moments longer, ears hopefully perked up, waiting for any kind of answer... But when it became clear that none would have come, the hedgehog let out a small sigh and opened her eyes again.

"Oh, um… thanks for that, anyway. I owe you one."

On a closer inspection, the Obsidian Core didn't gleam anymore. The beautiful golden flares sparkling across its facets had disappeared, and the once translucent crystal looked more opaque than ever, as if the light had been sucked out of it.

A clicking noise behind her drew Hazel's attention, suddenly reminding her that she was still in enemy territory. The hedgehog quickly hid behind the machine hosting the Obsidian; and as she did so, she noticed her Wispon and her broken visor, both lying on the floor between two rows of capsules, just out of her reach. She cursed under her breath. The headgear looked irreparably broken, but if only she could grab the weapon… Too late: a metallic whirr now echoed in the vault, drawing closer and closer. Hazel hunkered down and held her breath.

" _... gone"_ a whiny robotic voice was saying. _"His Cleverest Imperial Majesty will disassemble these units for sure, as soon as he finds out the Resistance managed to break in."_

"If _he finds out_ " another robotic voice corrected. _"These units should be glad Infinite came back as soon as the system was shut down. Where is the garbage he wanted these units to clean up, anyway?"_

Hazel poked her head out from her hiding spot, just enough to peer at the newcomers. Two small, cube-shaped robots were strolling across the room, both sporting the insignia of the Empire. One of them dragged along what looked like a particularly sophisticated vacuum cleaner. Hazel glanced at the Wispon on the floor, in full sight. She would have never managed to collect it without drawing the attention of the robots.

 _Don't do anything stupid_ , an inner voice whispered. _Stay hidden until they go away._

Yes, it would have been the best course of action… But right now, somewhere in that facility, Infinite was hunting down the Commander. And because of her, now he knew exactly where to strike. Guilt and shame tugged at Hazel's guts. But what was the point of getting involved, anyway? Infinite would have just killed her again, and this time for good... Someone as weak as her would have only been a burden, to Knuckles. She clenched her fists, paralyzed by indecision.

" _What is that?"_

One of the robots had spotted the Wispon and was now waddling towards it.

Hazel's heartbeat suddenly quickened. It was now or never.

She threw herself around the capsule and dashed towards the Wispon, her gloved hands seizing up around the gun. The closest robot barely had the time to process her sudden appearance before an energy projectile hit it almost at point blank range, blasting the unlucky machine on the spot. Hazel pointed the Wispon to the second robot, which immediately dropped the vacuum cleaner and raised its mechanical little hands.

" _Don't shoot this unit!"_ the machine cried out. _"This unit is just an E-Cleaner, the organic specimen isn't its enemy! This unit was only doing its job, nothing personal!"_

Hazel's finger hesitated on the trigger. "Your job?"

" _Keeping the Laboratories nice and clean. The organic specimen wouldn't believe the amount of bacteria crawling on the monitors. As if that wasn't enough, there's always something even more disgusting lying around or encrusted somewhere! Nothing drives this unit's servos crazy like removing all kinds of filth from the floor cracks - the solvents, the acids, the bases, the dust, the blood, ugh, don't even get this unit started on the corrosives, they're the worst…"_

"Blood… You were sent to get rid of my body?" Hazel asked with a small shudder.

" _Positive. As this unit said, nothing personal. This unit would be very happy if the organic specimen didn't obliterate it, though."_

The hedgehog stared at the little cleaning robot, her Wispon still raised and ready. Slowly, she lowered the gun. "I won't."

The sweeper blinked its four optical lenses. _"She won't?"_

"But only if you do something for me in return. Look, I don't wanna hurt you, but I'm in a bit of a hurry and I really need to find the other high-security vault. I know there's one somewhere around. Can you, um... can you please show me the way?"

She mentally facepalmed. _N_ _ote to self: work on the whole threat thing._

The robot fiddled with its hands, sighing. _"Oh dear. The Emperor will have this unit's batteries for this."_

"Not if I have them first" said Hazel, lifting the Wispon again and trying to look as intimidating as she could. There, now it was a little better. "I'd like… er, I _want_ you to lead me there, right now. Is that clear?"

" _Positive"_ said the E-Cleaner.

"Great, let's move. Oh..." Hazel cast a look to the large metal doors the E-Cleaners had come from. "I guess the hallways are packed with robots, aren't they?"

" _Positive."_

"We'll take the long way around, then. Come."

She walked back to the ventilation shaft, the sweeper following in tow. As she passed by the capsule containing the black scepter, she paused.

 _The mission_.

To destroy Eggman's research.

Hazel aimed her Wispon at the scepter and charged up the most powerful projectile the gun could load, charging and charging until the weapon vibrated slightly in her grasp; only then did she release the energy bullet - the violent recoil forcing her to stagger backwards - which hit the capsule at full force and caused a small explosion.

It didn't even scratch the glass.

Hazel frowned. For good measure, she attempted to shoot two other capsules, with the same results.

"Dammit, these stupid things sure are resilient" she muttered. "What are they even made of?"

The E-Cleaner raised its mechanical hand, like a student eager to answer a question.

"Yeah?"

" _The external layer of the preserving capsules is made of glassy palladium alloy, impeccably polished and treated with an antiseptic solution every day. Needless to say, this unit is in charge of the local sanitation, as you can tell by the flawless shine and..."_

"Sure, sure, they look spotless. So how do you destroy them?"

" _This unit doesn't know."_

"Hmm." Hazel squinted. "Eggman must be able to open and close them, right? Where's the control panel?"

" _Over there."_

The E-Cleaner pointed to a small touchpad embedded into the nearest capsule. There was one for each machine. Hazel hurried back to the Obsidian's capsule and hastily tapped on the touchpad, holding her breath as the screen flickered to life… revealing to be a fingerprint scanner, evidently meant to accommodate Eggman's hand.

"Chaos... So only Eggman can fiddle with the capsules." She let out a slow breath. "I should have expected it. Well, let's go, nothing to do here."

The half-destroyed air duct was at some height from the floor. Hazel didn't like the idea of giving up her only weapon, but still folded the Wispon and put it in her haversack before crouching down to pick up the sweeper - which was surprisingly heavy, despite its tiny size.

" _Is the organic specimen planning to throw away this unit?_ " the robot whined.

"Not for the moment, no..."

Securing the E-Cleaner under her arm, Hazel made her way to the metal tubes jutting out from the wall and slowly climbed up, one step at the time. Her ascent was clumsy and difficult, but thankfully brief: and she let out a sigh of relief as she reached the top and tried to shove the robot into the air duct.

The operation proved more complicated than expected.

" _Eeeek!_ " the sweeper squeaked, squirming in her grasp. _"Blasphemy! Atrocity! When was the last time_ anyone _has cleaned this wormhole? Look at all that gunk! And the mold! Germs must proliferate here!"_

"Shhh!" Hazel wheezed through gritted teeth. "Why are you even worried about that? You're a robot, for Chaos' sake. In you go!"

She pushed it into the ventilation shaft by force, squeezing herself in afterwards. Once again, she found herself crawling through the thickest darkness, only guided by the faint glow coming from the sweeper's optics. The little machine fidgeted unnervingly on the spot, as if the very contact with the ground pained it.

" _Unacceptable. Inadmissible. Outrageous. Once the organic specimen is done with her suicidal mission, and guess who will have to scrape her remnants from the floor, this unit will lead a meticulous hygienic operation to disinfect and sterilize every smallest corner of the air ducts. This unit is ashamed. The provided estimate is 17.2% chance of contracting sinusitis, should the organic specimen survive long enough to see another day."_

"The organic specimen has a name, and it's Hazel" she said, exasperated. "What should I call you, by the way?"

" _This unit is an E-Cleaner, serial number WR285904._ "

"WR28… yeah, nevermind, I'll call you Wire. If that's okay with you." Hazel shook her head. "You are very talkative, for a robot."

" _This unit will choose to take that as a compliment."_

"Whatever. Err... If you try to step me or drag me into some kind of trap, I'll totally shoot you down, so be very careful! Now please be quiet and focus on your task, Wire, okay?"

" _Positive._ "

Wire strolled along the ventilation shaft, with the care not to even _brush_ the walls. Hazel crawled on her hands and knees as fast as she could, her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes never leaving the robot.

 _Commander, Rouge, please don't you go dying on me..._

#

Knuckles ducked under the punch of the echidna priest, spiked gloves whistling mere centimeters away from his spines. Rolling his shoulders, the Commander returned the favor with a sharp jab into his stomach; the other echidna bent forward, grunting in pain, and Knuckles hit him again, this time smashing his foe into one of the temple pillars.

Around him, the high-security vault had blurred away, replaced by the illusory copy of Pachacamac's village. Instead of Eggman's war machines and experimental capsules, what now surrounded Knuckles and Rouge was an array of gilded buildings and pyramid temples, most of the structures girdled by layers upon layers of terraces and floating gardens. The walls were decorated with carvings representing echidnas and snake-like monsters, and several feathered serpents carved out of limestone adorned the shrines and the ancient palaces. In the middle of the main plaza stood a raised ceremonial platform, lined with braziers; above it was the large, towering statue of a warrior, spear in hand, whom Knuckles had been able to recognize as Pachacamac at first glance: he'd already seen an echo of the echidna chieftain through the memories of his daughter Tikal's spirit.

It seemed like the proud, ancient village once dominating Angel Island had come back from the sands of time...

Along with all its dwellers, apparently.

Wherever Knuckles looked, his eyes found echidnas of every age and social class, some of them watching from the sidelines, others slowly approaching to encircle him and Rouge. White-tattooed warriors wielding spears and javelins, priests and priestesses in feathered headdresses, commoners and farmers and even slaves, whose gloves and shoes were complemented by heavy shackles... Knuckles kept on repeating to himself it was just an illusion - just another ugly, sick creation of the Phantom Ruby - but he still found it rather unnerving to fend off his own long-lost people, the family he'd never got to know.

Thousands of years before, the greed and bloodlust of his kinsmen had stirred the wrath of Chaos, which in turn had wiped out the overwhelming majority of the echidnas. For the longest time, Knuckles had thought he'd never seen another like him, with the sole exception of Tikal's spirit. And yet, here were dozens and dozens of echidnas, blank-eyed as dolls but terribly lifelike, brought back to existence by the power of the Phantom Ruby.

And the Commander was slowly losing ground. The illusory echidnas were just shadows of their previous selves, bearing only a faint semblance of their past pride and strength, but they swarmed the vault-village and still multiplied out of thin air right before his eyes. At that rate, there would have been _hundreds_ of echidnas in a matter of minutes. It was a losing battle, and he knew it.

But as he backed away to elude the spear of another warrior, a red-hot thought flashed through Knuckles' mind, his chest igniting with a burning determination: _I won't die, not here, not today, not by_ your _hand!_

The spear-bearing echidna tread closer, elaborate white markings emblazoning his chest and spines. He could have almost passed for a real Mobian, if not for his gaze - as detached and soulless as his voice. "Resisting is pointless, brother. Join us in death, for your place is with your kin."

"I know where my place is, thank you very much!" Knuckles retorted, before getting rid of the fake Mobian with an uppercut. The replica scattered in a cloud of red cubes and disappeared into nothingness. Two more warriors closed in, dragging their steps like sleepwalkers. The Commander swiftly took them out, trying to ignore the all-too realistic _snap_ produced by their ribs as his spiked gloves connected with them. He half-pivoted on himself and scanned the gilded village, looking for a face in particular, but all he saw was echidnas, echidnas and _more_ echidnas, all staring mindlessly at him. He growled. "Infinite! I know you're the one behind this. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you get away with it! Where are you hiding, you bastard?"

"Oh, I'm not hiding at all. Open your eyes, Commander..."

Knuckles' gaze snapped upwards. Infinite levitated high above Pachacamac's village, the ominous red halo of the Phantom Ruby pulsating around him. Too high… completely out of his reach.

 _Not for long!_

Knuckles took a running start and leapt over the terrace of a pyramid. Jumping from terrace to terrace, he angrily began making his way to the rooftop, his attention locked on the masked jackal.

"Wait, don't do it!" Rouge's voice seemed to come from a great distance, and he barely registered it: his vision swam in a red haze, all that mattered was getting to Infinite, punching a hole through his stomach, making him pay for everything he did to the Resistance, to Sonic, to _him_...

Knuckles wasn't even halfway up when another echidna warrior materialized himself on the terrace above, leaping down and hitting the Commander in midair. Both echidnas came crashing down in a tangle of gloved fists and red spines, wildly spinning on themselves... then Knuckles' back painfully met the gilded floor, the warrior on top of him.

"Worthless." The breath of the fake echidna was scorching hot on his muzzle, blank eyes stabbing Knuckles' own. "You've wasted your life trying and failing to guard a gemstone you understand nothing of, too blind to question your role, too weak to find your own path. And now you even have the nerve to call yourself _Commander..._ pretending to have what it takes to lead your Resistance, brazenly spitting lies and delusions in the face of those desperate enough to cling to you... But the truth is, you're nothing but Sonic's cheap imitation, and they all know it."

Knuckles thrashed wildly, trying to wriggle himself free, but he only managed to disentangle one arm. The warrior had him pinned down under his weight. There was something ominous in the lifeless gaze of the fake as he leant forward until their noses almost touched, his voice now reduced to a mellifluous whisper.

"Give up already. You belong with the dead, with us. How could you even _think_ you were suited to be the Commander of the Resistance is beyond me..."

In response, Knuckles grabbed the warrior's back spines and yanked his head closer, and their foreheads collided with a sickening _smack!_ The warrior growled in pain and vacillated; slightly dazed but still in control, the ex guardian of the Master Emerald punched his opponent off himself, causing him to twitch and shatter in a cloud of cubes. Knuckles briefly closed his eyes, massaging his forehead… then he saw the shadows looming over him. More echidnas were closing on him from all sides, towering above him like an inescapable nightmare.

"Brother!" cried a little girl with wide violet eyes. "I've missed you so much! Please, stop this… Can't you see you're only hurting yourself?"

"Surrender!" called out another warrior. "Our blood is one and the same!"

"You won't have to be alone anymore" said a priestess, whose kindly smile didn't brighten her soulless eyes. "We'll watch over the Master Emerald together!"

"Gah!" Knuckles shook his head, as if the gesture could help him shrug off those voices. "I'll… Damn, I swear I'll _kill_ you, Infinite. Slowly and painfully."

The jackal's mirthless chuckle reached him from above. "As for that, I'd love to see you try. But will you manage to do it, before _I_ kill you and your friend? She isn't faring too well, is she?"

Knuckles glanced to his left, and his innards turned to ice: beyond the wall of echidnas now separating them, he could see Rouge dash from side to side, desperately trying to hold her ground against wave after wave of warriors. All the thief could do was duck and dodge, duck and dodge, since the relentless attacks of her foes didn't give her any room to counterattack; but her back was almost up against a wall, a rivulet of blood streamed down the side of her head, and one of the echidnas had drawn back his arm, about to strike her down with a javelin...

Ignoring the pain shooting through his back, Knuckles leapt to his feet and grabbed the closest fake - an elderly-looking echidna, much to his mortification. With an effort that seemed to set his whole spine ablaze, the Commander lifted her above his head and threw her with all his might, smashing her into the javelin-thrower. Rouge quickly dispatched the nearest foes and took flight, swerving to the side to avoid the javelin cast by another fighter; her eyes sought and found Knuckles, narrowing at the sight of the crowd of echidnas circling him. They would have lynched him any second now.

"Up we go, Knuckie!"

With a flick of her wings, Rouge glided over the Commander and held out her arms. Knuckles leapt towards her, and their gloved hands connected. Rouge soared up, but before she could gain enough altitude a feather-clad priest seized Knuckles' ankle and tried to yank him down; the Commander harshly kicked him in the face, and the priest let go with a grunt.

"We cannot keep up like this forever!"

"Oh yeah? Tell me about it!" Rouge exclaimed, spiraling out of the way of a spear. Another javelin whistled right past Knuckles' elbow, close enough to lightly graze his skin. The bat flew up as quickly as she could, at last managing to carry herself and Knuckles out of the range of the fakes' weapons.

The sky above them was a cruel, unnatural shade between violet and indigo, just like the soulless eyes of the echidnas below, that now all stared up at them like hungry alligators eagerly waiting for their prey's misstep. As the duo flew higher and higher, Knuckles looked up, and his gaze sought Infinite; the jackal glared back, still wrapped in his chrysalis of red light.

"I think I have a plan" Knuckles muttered. "It's a bit of an hazard, but I need you to launch me."

"What?" Rouge exclaimed.

"Throw me at Infinite."

She rolled her eyes. "You do realize how bloody _stupid_ of a plan this is, don't you?"

"We don't really have a choice, do we?"

An eerie, distorted sound reverberated through the air.

Knuckles gritted his teeth as an array of red cubes spiraled down the rooftop of a pyramid, fusing together and materializing a platoon of echidna archers barded for war. Moving as a single entity, rigid like marionettes which strings were being masterfully pulled, the illusory Mobians nocked the arrows on the bowstrings, took aim…

An emerald flash darted behind the jackal.

"Oh no you don't, you slowpoke!"

Exactly in the same moment the priests released their arrows, the green hawk's shoe intercepted Infinite. And as his flying kick connected with Infinite's head, something very odd happened: for a second, the whole village quivered and blurred, halfway between Pachacamac's old realm and Eggman's laboratory; the storm of arrows flickered outside and inside the fabric of reality and passed through Knuckles and Rouge without harming them.

The thief didn't miss the chance to soar closer, spinning on herself to gain momentum before launching the Commander towards Infinite. Grinning wildly, Jet landed on a nearby rooftop, kicked at the ground and sprang again, also aiming for the masked jackal. Echidna and hawk flew towards their common enemy, both of them drawing back their closed fists, ready to strike…

All of a sudden, a barrier of crackling red energy exploded around Infinite. Knuckles and Jet slammed straight into it - and it felt like running into a concrete wall.

"Ouch!"

"Ugh!"

A moment later, both of them were flung backward at bewildering speed. Jet crashed into the gilded column of a shrine - demolishing it at the impact - and fell face-first onto the rooftop floor, groaning as debris and bits of pillar capitals rained down around him. The wind was knocked out of Knuckles' lungs as he smashed against the shrine wall and slowly slumped to the ground, right next to the hawk. The battered Commander clenched his jaws together and forced himself on his feet, making a valiant effort to ignore the ache biting into every centimeter of his body, including muscles he didn't even know he possessed. But his vision was blurring and keeping balance was proving a little more difficult than usual...

Two spearmen leapt on the rooftop of the shrine pyramid and advanced on them. They lifted their spears, and were about to finish off their dazed opponents when a flurry of white and magenta swished through the air. No scream escaped the spearmen as Rouge kicked them off the edge of the terrace and sent them flying into the crowd of echidnas below. Knuckles and Jet dizzily brought themselves to their feet.

"That son of a Badnik...!" Jet spat out. "I swear I'll kick his ass so hard he'll fly to Babylon Garden and back."

"Get in line" Knuckles grunted.

More and more echidnas were jumping on the pyramid's rooftop - and the new wave was almost entirely made of archers, already attaching arrows to their bowstrings.

Rouge hastily scanned the rooftop of the shrine. "Quick, behind the snake statue!"

The three Mobians ran into the gilded-walled antechamber and dove behind the stone effigy of a massive serpent deity. Seconds later, the clatter of a dozen arrows hailed ferociously on the other side of the statue. Knuckles, Rouge and Jet drew their breath, and finally glanced at each other.

"Jet!" The thief cast him the tired ghost of a grin. "It was about time, I was starting to think you missed my party invitation."

"Well... This isn't what I expected when the chief mentioned a meeting in the nightclubs of the Mystic Jungle." The hawk smirked back. "But it's good to see you guys anyway."

"What of Vector and the rookie?" Knuckles asked hurriedly. "Have you found them?"

Jet's smirk dropped as he shook his head. "Only the girl, and she was dead already when I got to her. I'm sorry."

Knuckles felt as though someone had just punched him straight in the guts. _No…_

He remembered the rookie stumbling into the HQ, wide-eyed and disoriented; and then lying on the gurney in the med hovercraft, bandaged and delirious; and then again, climbing up the palace nightclub, cracking jokes with Vector. To think less than one hour had passed… A sharp stab of guilt hit Knuckles, like every time he learnt one of his soldiers had passed away.

 _I cannot save everybody._ But he desperately wished he could.

In his temporary daze, he didn't notice Rouge widen her eyes and exchange a dark, knowing glance with Jet, nor the hawk shake his head again, this time more vigorously.

"I see…" The Commander drew a slow, deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, nodded, then opened again. "Thank you anyway. I take it the Black Bayonet is with the Resistance in this?"

"We were since minute one, echidna" said Jet. "The chief doesn't like Eggman any more than you do. By now you should know how much we'd like to see the Empire burn."

"Yeah, that's precisely what worries me" Knuckles grumbled. "What about all the enslaved imperial citizens?"

"What about them?" Jet replied coolly. "If they get in our way, well, too bad for them. They should have picked the right team when they had the chance."

"Most of them _didn't_ have a chance!"

"Don't try to sell me that crap! Wanna know how many spineless cowards were there during Sonic's last battle, and decided to just sit back and watch while Infinite mopped the floor with his ass? 'Cause the answer can only be 'Too many'!"

"Guys, this isn't the best time for bickering" Rouge scolded them, casting an anxious look over her shoulder. "Just in case you forgot, there's an army of crazed echidnas out there for our blood."

Knuckles and Jet glared at each other one last time.

"Anyway" the hawk continued, "I have a plan, but it's gonna be risky. And yeah, I know having a _real_ plan must be a nice change of pace for you, Knuckles…"

"If you have something to say, bird, just cough it up before I make you do it."

Jet smirked and jerked his thumb toward his left arm. For the first time, Knuckles noticed there was a sort of metal armlet clasped above his elbow. "Cover me as I instal this explosive, then."

"You walked into Eggman's labs with an explosive on your arm?" Rouge exhaled, looking about to facepalm.

"Hey, it isn't your average explosive. This is Wave's masterwork, designed to be fireproof and relatively safe to carry. The only way to set it off is by using its detonator, or… well, by smashing it open. Which isn't the easiest thing to do, really."

"Where do you need to attach it?"

Jet tapped his beak. "The closer to the center, the better. I saw the statue of some grumpy echidna dude in the main plaza, earlier…"

"Yeah, Pachacamac" the Commander mumbled. "Feel free to stuff that explosive wherever you want, even better if up his..."

Another flock of arrows struck the golden snake, interrupting them. Knuckles rose up and peered over the edge of the statue: the archers were getting closer, stumbling forward like zombies.

"Let's spread out" he decided. "Jet, you instal that thing. Rouge and I will keep them busy."

That's all the hawk had to hear. One minute he was standing beside Knuckles and Rouge, and then he was gone. Astonished, Knuckles caught sight of a green flash breaking through the archers and leaping off the rooftop before anyone could stop him. Knuckles returned his attention to the thief.

"So the Black Bayonet knew about the facility, huh?"

Rouge shrugged. "So it seems."

"You've got some explaining to do."

"If we get out of here alive, maybe." The bat sent him a wink and a smile. "Come on, now, we have an army to destroy."

They dove out from their shelter and charged.

Once again, Knuckles found himself punching his way through the horde of fake echidnas - and once again, he found himself desperately trying to ignore the pressing voices swirling around him, beckoning for him to join them or mocking him for his weakness. But he wasn't alone. Either by his side or back to back with him, Rouge fought just as ferociously as the Commander himself, kicking or palm-punching one foe after the other. Knuckles was strangely and secretly glad she was with him - although he couldn't help but wince a bit when a burly echidna warrior was flung over his head and savagely sent crashing into the snake statue, where he disappeared in a poof of ghostly cubes.

That woman was scary. And he was happy she was on his side. Sometimes, at least, he mentally added.

The two of them made their way down the pyramid and towards the plaza, trying to draw the attention of as many fakes as possible and most importantly Infinite's. To Knuckles' mild surprise, the bearer of the Phantom Ruby still levitated above the rooftops of the lost echidna capital, watching the fight without interfering. Either the bastard really enjoyed the show… or the vastness and extraordinary complexity of the illusion required his full focus. Knuckles hoped for the latter. At least for the moment, Infinite's attention seemed to be pinned on the two of them - and the illusionary echidnas fought more fiercely than ever, spears and strikes raining upon Knuckles from every side. The Commander had long stopped counting the cuts and bruises scattered around his body.

Knuckles yelped when a spear broke through his guard and bit sharply into his arm, perforating the layer of protective mesh. He got rid of the attacker with a well-placed kick and quickly pulled the spear out, grunting when a jolt of scorching pain stabbed through his muscles and a splutter of crimson mixed with the red of his fur. In that very moment, a cry resounded behind him, causing Knuckles to immediately turn on his heels: another spearman had struck Rouge's left leg, blood now heavily trickling down her thigh and knee. Before the spearman could attack again, Knuckles lunged for him and hit him in his abdomen, with enough strength to punch him into the next wave of echidnas and knock down a few of them. But it hardly made any difference: for each fake they defeated, two others rose to take its place. A sense of dread was beginning to creep up Knuckles' spine. The horde of illusory Mobians looked endless, and as minutes passed, tiredness and injuries would have begun to take their toll. Taking advantage of the Commander's turned back, a priestess hit him behind his knees and kicked him down. Knuckles grunted as his face was smacked against the ground.

 _Damn it, Jet, hurry up…!_

"Hah!"

Knuckles turned his head and hazarded a glance toward the center of the village, just in time to see the green hawk hop from the stretched arm of Pachacamac's statue, land on the ceremonial platform and nimbly leap away, the explosive band no longer clasped to his arm. He held the detonator in his hands. Knuckles' heart gave a jolt. Yes! Now Jet only needed to get some distance between himself and the explosive, and…

Ghostly red cubes appeared around Jet, quickly interweaving and solidifying into the frame of a birdcage. Driven by his own momentum, Jet slammed into perfectly solid metal bars and fell back onto the bottom of the cage. "Ngh…!"

The detonator escaped his grasp, bouncing against a bar and clattering beside him. Jet hastily retrieved it and jumped to his feet again, but the birdcage - roughly two metres in diameter and just a little taller than himself - didn't offer any way out, the bars looking way too thick to be kicked down. And he'd been locked up at the foot of the statue, mere steps away from the explosive.

"Jet!" Rouge grimaced and stumbled forward, but a menacing wall of echidna spearmen and archers separated her and Knuckles from Infinite's illusory birdcage, and she had to swiftly back away to avoid turning into a living pincushion.

"As if such a trivial trick could work against _me_!" Infinite lowered himself until his eyes were at the same height at Jet's, the metal mask gleaming under the unnaturally bright sky. "You may as well save what little pride you still possess and surrender now, don't you think?"

Jet straightened his back and stared at Knuckles and Rouge, both of them looking badly battered, covered in blood and on the verge of exhaustion. Knuckles could almost see the gears turn in his head, calculating the distance between them and the explosive and their chance of survival… and coming to a conclusion. The hawk cracked them a tired grin: "Take care, you two. Down with the Egghead!"

Then he went to press on the detonator.

"No!" Knuckles instinctively - and uselessly - reached out for Jet.

But the hawk never managed to push that button: a split second before his index finger tapped the blasting cap, an orb of sizzling energy hit him in the chest and flung him against the opposite bars. Horrified, Knuckles saw Jet violently hit his head and flop down to the floor, where he lay motionless, barely breathing. The detonator slipped out of his gloved hand and fell at his feet.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" Infinite pointed his open hand to the fainted hawk, flickers of red cracking around his palm. "This battle was over before it even began."

Right before he fired, something blue shimmered from the top of a terrace. The Wispon projectile hissed through the air - and barely grazed Infinite's mask, as the jackal had pulled back and dodged in the nick of time. Knuckles snapped his head to the side, eyes widening. Hazel pointed her Wispon at Infinite, the gun shaking ever so slightly in her grip. She'd lost her headgear and her combat suit was a mess of dirt, burns and tears, but she looked very much alive.

"You again!" Infinite growled. "Just how many times will I have to kill you!"

He pointed to her and fired a second energy blast. Hazel leapt down the terrace and landed on the plaza with a roll, sprinting for Jet's cage. Raising her Wispon as she ran, she shot an energy bullet that broke through one of the cage bars. Had she managed to tear down another bar, the fissure would have been wide enough to safely extract Jet.

Knuckles weakly grinned. _Go, rookie!_

The Commander punched away another approaching echidna. He hadn't missed how, since Infinite had shifted his attention to Jet and then Hazel, the illusionary Mobians around him and Rouge had turned mute and sluggish in motion.

And he sure as hell wouldn't have let this opportunity slip.

#

A tempest of red energy beams shot through the air, one after the other, as Hazel raced toward the birdcage as fast as she could, her pulse hammering harder than ever. Earth and gilded tiles shattered around her, but she kept her gaze fixated on her target and just _ran_ , even when a jab of pain stabbed her shoulder and another scorched her side - Infinite had hit her and her eyes were watering and dammit, it just _hurt_ so bad! - but she couldn't stop, not when there was so much at stake.

Knuckles and Rouge were both injured and already busy dealing with that crowd of weird ancient echidnas. The green hawk was still passed out in the cage, at the foot of a large statue. She'd seen him instal something metallic and beeping to the head of the statue, and it was clear Infinite didn't want him to press the device now lying in the cage beside him… And that was enough of a good reason to grab both the hawk and the device and get the heck out as quickly as possible.

Charging up her Wispon, she tried to shoot again, but before her finger left the trigger something red and _wickedly fast_ collided with her and smacked her away. Hazel was flung back and fell on the ground hard, yelping in pain.

"I see you're back from the dead." Infinite casually cracked the knuckles he'd just hit her with. "You are a curious, curious little rat. Once again you're offered a chance to survive, and once again you decide to toss it away. What's with this domineering death wish of yours?"

Hazel shook her head. "Y-you just can't understand, can you?"

"Understand what, your futile quest for revenge?"

"No." She slowly got up and stared up at the bearer of the Phantom Ruby, whom now hovered a few feet from the ground. "I mean… Don't get me wrong, I'll never forgive you for what you did to Tourmaline Town, but there's more than that. I think, well, the point is…" She paused her stuttering, closed her eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath. "See... If nobody stops you, you'll just hurt more and more people, won't you? You'll burn down more cities and destroy anything and anyone standing in your way. That's why I have to fight you until my last breath, Infinite, because I c-cannot allow it. It's not about doing what's safe, it's about doing what's right."

Infinite let out a strange sound, a mixture of snort and sigh. "Don't you fledgling heroes ever tire of discarding your lives over some charade of justice you built to try and convince yourselves there's some _higher cause_ behind your idiocy? There's no such thing as right or wrong, weakling. There are only preys, and those who grow strong enough to become predators." Sparkles of ominous red light danced around his left wrist. Hazel stiffened up, but he didn't release the beam yet. "Although some preys can prove surprisingly tough to kill, I'll grant you that. So, how come you're still alive?"

"Well… M-maybe you simply aren't as good at your job as you think you are?"

She rolled to the side to avoid the jet of energy that shattered the carvings on the temple wall right behind her.

Infinite was too strong and too fast, that much was clear. She would have never managed to get past him and reach the birdcage without bumping into an excruciating death in the process… unless she got creative.

Hazel sped along the edge of the plaza and jumped up to the lowest terrace of another pyramid. From this new angle, shooting at the birdcage would have been pointless - she needed to face the broken bar, if she wanted half a chance to free the hawk… But if she managed to distract Infinite for long enough, perhaps she would have managed to make a full circle around the cage without him noticing...

A familiar eerie sound filled Hazel's ears, and her vision turned red. All of a sudden, gravity seemed to abandon her, her feet detaching from the ground; heavens and earth seemed to switch places, and for a single, terrifying moment she thought she would have plummeted into the cruel violet sky -

The energy orb hit her like a cannonball, and Hazel slammed into the ground again, crying out in pain. For a moment, she just lay there on her stomach, struggling to catch her breath; earth and limestone felt cold under her cheek, and she could taste the metallic flavor of blood in her mouth. She had the feeling her body would have simply broken apart, had she tried to get up again... And still she slowly, painfully brought herself to her knees, without managing to suppress a yelp when a twinge stabbed her side.

The first thing she noticed was that Knuckles and Rouge were still fighting the horde of echidnas - but they looked about to collapse any moment now, overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their enemies. Vector was gone. And she was about to lose to Infinite, again. The whole mission had been an epic failure. The Cerberus Unit... she could only hope Storm and the others would have at least managed to retreat and get home safely.

"Obstinate, as expected." Infinite levitated high above her, his dispassionate voice laced with the tiniest note of amusement. "But obstinacy alone isn't enough to cheat death. How did you survive our last encounter, then?"

Hazel shrugged and didn't answer. She would have died again, anyway, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Infinite tilted his head to the side, studying her. "You cannot possibly be still alive... Unless…"

"Hey!"

Both Infinite and Hazel turned their heads at the shout. A few meters away from them, the green hawk heavily leant against the bars of the birdcage. He was evidently in pain, clutching his chest with one gloved hand... and a small, metallic device with the other. As he stared straight at Infinite, the hawk's agonized grimace slowly turned into a bitter, lopsided grin.

"Ka- _boom_ , you masked bastard!"

And then he pressed the detonator.

The statue behind the birdcage glowed blinding white.

In Hazel's eyes, the world exploded.

* * *

Hallo~!

Oh boy, this chapter. Officially the longest chapter so far in WotS (almost 10.000 words!) and surely the biggest pain in the neck to write.

So, what do we have here? We have a GIANT panda plushie for **Steel Fairy** , **Infinite's Ruby** , **Roundabout** , mystery **Guest** and **DustyClouds** for their lovely reviews, thank you so much! Also a big thanks for everyone who fav/is following the story. You guys are all fantastic cupcakes.

Guess what? Another ninja note. Yeah, I called the buildings in Pachacamac's village _pyramids_ even though technically speaking the buildings made by Mayas/Aztecs aren't pyramids. Little poetic license. 'Pyramids' just sounds more immediate than 'basically pyramids but without the top angle'. It also felt weird calling them 'Mayan pyramids' since, well, Mayas aren't and were never a thing in Mobius. I went as far as considering the term _ziggurat_ to describe them, only to fall back on pyramids at the very last revision. Yes, this story made me have an emotional inner conflict about pyramids, what you gonna do about it?

I hope you enjoyed the read.

Syrence, out~!


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